Rocketboard Beacons

I would not invest in this venture. While the team clearly identified the pain point, I fail to find it a major issue, nor do I think their app is capable of solving the *real issue; the team claims that, typically, photos of productive whiteboard working group sessions get lost in the milieu of photos and are tough to read. This app might be a bit more streamlined than typical “photo to pdf” scanner apps I’ve used, but still isn’t capable of overcoming a major issue - resolution. If the photo is taken from too far away or the phone’s camera isn’t top quality, the scan won’t have the resolution and might lose details. Another issue I have is that the developers waste their time in the pitch getting to the point. They take nearly a minute and a half getting to differentiation. And they don’t really get there. They point out the extended features but don’t call out how their product is better than the competition. It’s a neat idea, but I wouldn’t open my wallet for it. It’s just not a big enough need. I don’t see this product reaching enough customers, and for the ones that would be interested, I don’t see it having staying power.

Yes, I would (and did) invest in this venture. While the video is cheezy and cheap, the pitch very clearly demonstrates a unique solution to a very common problem in creative collaboration: saving whiteboard brainstorms and engaging remote people in the collaboration process. While it might seem that there are other products that can do this--such as skype and their whiteboard feature--as an creative team can attest to, digital options just do not have the same feel and flow of creative output as a traditional whiteboard. As this tool can be layered over existing whiteboards, businesses do not need to invest in any other product to make their existing whiteboard compatible. One of the most appealling aspects of this product is the underyling technology through their app, as it indicates it recognizes text hastags in order to name files. This is very innovative, as few products can recognize handwritten text. As an EVA, this possibility gets my attention as it could lead to many more potential applications and investiments.

No, I would not invest in this venture. The video does not inspire confidence in the product as it comes off as a cheap infomercial. Nothing is shared about the developers either, which leaves me with more doubt about the product’s viability. The pain point they have identified is that it is difficult to collaborate when ideas are brainstormed on a whiteboard, but I beg to differ. A quick search online will yield multiple websites offering online, real-time whiteboards, to facilitate collaboration (not to mention the Google and Microsoft suites). In the age when tablets are common, these websites can offer everything Rocketboard can offer, free of charge. As an EVA, I am not confident in a product that lacks credibility, marketability, and competitive edge.