Likewise, Inc., is an American technology startup company which provides a social networking service for finding and saving content recommendations for movies, TV shows, books, and podcasts.[1] A team of ex-Microsoft employees founded Likewise in October 2017 with financial investment from Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates.[2]
 | |
| Company type | Startup Company |
|---|---|
| Industry | Entertainment Social Network |
| Founded | 2017 |
| Founder | Larry Cohen Ian Morris Michael Dix |
| Headquarters | Bellevue, Washington |
Area served | United States Canada |
Number of employees | Approximately 35 (2020) |
| Website | www.likewise.com |
The company is led by CEO Ian Morris and now has a team of about 35 employees.[3] Its headquarters operates in Bellevue, Washington.[4] As of July 2020, 1 million users have joined the platform.[5]
History
edit
Ideation (October 2017)
editIn 2017, former Microsoft Communications Chief Larry Cohen came up with the idea for Likewise in Bill Gates’ private office, Gates Ventures.[1] Cohen currently serves as Gates Ventures’ CEO and managing partner.[6]
Cohen collaborated with colleagues Michael Dix and Ian Morris to co-found what would become Likewise, with Morris as its CEO.[2] Gates funded the company's early development.[7]
The company developed its platform in stealth mode before launching publicly in October 2018.[2] Gates served as the “ultimate beta tester” during development, giving his input on the app's design, and remains an active user and advisor.[7]
Release (October 2018)
editLikewise officially released its platform in the US and Canada on October 3, 2018.[7]
Growth (2020 COVID-19 Pandemic)
editLikewise experienced accelerated growth alongside the COVID-19 pandemic.[8] From March 2020 to July 2020, the platform's monthly active users tripled in numbers.[3] The company reached one million users in July 2020.[5]
Applications
editMobile
editLikewise is available as a mobile app for the Android and iOS mobile operating systems.[4][5] Users receive recommendations from the Likewise algorithm, people they follow, and the Likewise editorial team.[3][9]
Likewise TV
editIn October 2019, the company launched its Apple TV app called Likewise TV. The television app organizes shows across streaming services under one watchlist.[10] On July 20, 2020, Likewise TV expanded to Android TV and Amazon Fire TV users.[3]
References
edit- ^ a b "Bill Gates-backed Likewise turns recommendations into a social network". Verdict. 2018-10-04. Retrieved 2020-12-08.
- ^ a b c "Recommendations startup Likewise emerges from Bill Gates' private office, letting friends track and share their favorite things". GeekWire. 2018-10-03. Retrieved 2020-12-08.
- ^ a b c d "Bill Gates-backed startup Likewise expands to TVs, bringing content picks and lists to living room". GeekWire. 2020-07-29. Retrieved 2020-12-08.
- ^ a b Fried, Ina (3 October 2018). "Bill Gates' new recommendation engine". Axios. Retrieved 2020-12-08.
- ^ a b c "Streaming Recommendation App Likewise Now Available on Fire TV, Android TV & Apple TV". Cord Cutters News. 2020-07-20. Retrieved 2020-12-08.
- ^ Gottsegen, Gordon. "Bill Gates-funded Likewise app gives you recommendations from people you trust". CNET. Retrieved 2020-12-08.
- ^ a b c Hamilton, Isobel Asher. "Bill Gates is backing an app that helps you keep track of the things your friends like". Business Insider. Retrieved 2020-12-08.
- ^ "Entertainment Curation Service Explodes As People Seek Distractions". Seattle Business Magazine. 2020-04-06. Retrieved 2020-12-08.
- ^ July 2020, Jon Lafayette 20 (20 July 2020). "Bill Gates-backed Likewise Puts Apps on Android, Amazon Apple". Broadcasting Cable. Retrieved 2020-12-08.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link) - ^ "What should you watch next on TV? Even Bill Gates seeks advice, so startup Likewise steps in to help". GeekWire. 2019-10-31. Retrieved 2020-12-08.