fbpx
Connect with us

Technology

How Much Does It Cost to Understand Emotion? $73.5M, as per Affectiva Valuation.

Published

on

Have you ever been in a situation where you’d pay anything to understand a person’s emotions? Well, the price tag might surprise you. Just recently, publicly traded Swedish company Smart Eye acquired emotion-detection tech Affectiva in a cash-and-stock deal. The valuation? A whopping $73.5 million.

Affectiva has surely gone a long way since it was first conceived in an MIT Media Lab back in 2009. Just three years after it spun out of the lab, the startup raised $12 million in funding. Back then, it had two flagship products – Affdex, a facial coding tech, and Q Sensor, a wearable sensor.

It was software way ahead of its time. In fact, venture capitalist Mary Meeker said then that measuring people’s real-time emotions while watching videos can improve online engagement. As a result, the tech enables ventures to gear their videos to better appeal to their target market.

Before the $12 million funds raised in 2012, the startup previously earned early-stage funding amounting to $7.7 million. This round was from WPP, Myrian Capital, and the Peder Wallenberg Charitable Trust. Seeing that the startup has won not one but a few National Science Foundation grants, it was surely a tech to look out for even during its early days.

Aside from those mentioned above, Affectiva is also backed by Kleiner Perkins Caufield Byers, Horizon Ventures, and Fenox Venture Capital.

Affective Computing and the Future of AI

The startup was founded by two effective computing pioneers, Rana el Kaliouby and Rosalind Picard.

El Kaliouby, who served as the startup’s CEO, is now the Deputy CEO of Smart Eye following the acquisition deal. According to the Egyptian-American AI thought leader, she’ll be working with Smart Eye CEO Martin Krantz to scale the venture. Their top goal will be AI tech that focuses on ethics, equity, diversity, and inclusion.

Rosalind Picard, on the other hand, is the founder and director of the MIT Media Lab’s Affective Computing research group. Besides Affectiva, she’s also the co-founder of another startup called Empatica. The latter focuses on healthcare with AI tools for research and treatment.

Affective computing tools may sound like a sci-fi tool to some, but it’s actually more common now than ever before. In fact, 25 percent of Fortune Global 500 already uses Affectiva’s tech. In addition to that, over 1,400+ brands like Mars, CBS, and Kellogg’s use the platform to measure people’s response to digital content. Market research firms like LRW, Millward Brown, and Unruly also use the tech to acquire the data that they need for effective campaigns.

What Will Affectiva Bring to Smart Eye?

Just how will Affectiva tech boost Smart Eye? With the Swedish dabbling in auto tech and driver monitoring systems (DMS), it seems that the software will be used in transportation tech.

In a press release, Krantz said Smart Eye saw Affectiva as a great platform to bring the tech to market at scale. He also mentioned how Smart Eye aims to bridge the gap between humans and machines and improve road safety.

Besides its tech, the startup also brings with it the income and profit from its Media Analytics business. After all, 70 percent of the largest ad players in the world use the platform to gauge reactions to ads. In short, Affectiva’s data coupled with Smart Eye’s eye-tracking systems can provide a more holistic view of human factors research. 

The two ventures were competing against each other in the past. But both parties know that their techs will be more powerful combined. Also, they found common ground in terms of tech ethics.

El Kaliouby said that both parties share the same culture and values and the same vision for the future. She also said that by joining forces, they can now work to offer better tech that both won’t be able to provide alone.

With the recent acquisition, Smart Eye will now have a footprint in the East Coast, with Affectiva’s office in Boston. Affectiva’s Cairo office, on the other hand, will be used to access skilled local talent.

Aside from its office in Gothenburg, Smart Eye also has offices in Detroit, Tokyo, and Chongqing in China. Its office in Germany is now in the works.

For other tech-related stories, read more here from Owner’s Mag!

Continue Reading
Click to comment

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Reviews

Demio SaaS 2025 Review: Features, Pricing, Pros & Cons

Published

on

Interested in signing up for Demio? You can support us by getting started with this link.

I kind of hate the word “webinar.”

I’m not alone, either. You can find it in several lists of the English language’s biggest travesties. It’s a holdover from the heyday of lame Web 2.0 portmanteaus, alongside “webisode,” “netizen,” and “listicle.”

However you feel about the word, the webinar itself is anything but dated. The more work moves online, the more vital webinars become for drawing new clients (and keeping the old ones).

Yet, despite their importance, many platforms still haven’t nailed the experience. Some are clunky, others unreliable.

In this updated Demio SaaS review, we take another look at the browser-based webinar tool by Banzai to see if it still strikes the right balance between simplicity and functionality in 2025. Can Demio stay ahead of the curve—or is it time to move on?

Let’s find out.

What is Demio?

Demio is a browser-based webinar platform designed to make hosting and attending online events as frictionless as possible. Founded in 2014 and now part of the Banzai ecosystem, it was built in response to the clunky, download-heavy webinar tools that dominated the early 2010s.

As this Demio SaaS review shows, that original mission still holds up in 2025. While the pandemic era pushed dozens of companies to improve their virtual tools, many platforms still require attendees to install software or jump through technical hoops just to join a session.

Demio’s solution? Keep it in the browser. No downloads. No plugins. Just clean, streamlined webinar tech that anyone can use right away.

It’s positioned squarely in the SaaS space, with subscription plans that scale from solo creators to enterprise teams. And while it’s optimized for marketing and lead generation, the platform’s ease of use makes it appealing across industries.

Looking for other video communication tools? Check out our Loom review.

Getting started with Demio: Free Trial and Pricing

No Demio SaaS review will be complete without the pricing tier. To sign up for a 14-day free trial, just create an account, and you’re ready to explore the platform.

When you’re ready to upgrade, Demio offers three main plans tailored to different business needs:

  • Starter – $45/month per host (paid yearly). Perfect for small businesses and solo entrepreneurs getting started with webinars. This tier is for one host for up to 50 attendees. It also comes with core features to launch live webinars easily.
  • Growth – $80/month per host (paid yearly). Ideal for growing companies that need more flexibility and brand control. This tier accommodates multiple hosts, with attendee rooms from 150 up to 3,000. This plan also comes with custom branding and enhanced integrations, and reporting.
  • Premium – $196/month per host (paid yearly). Designed for larger teams and enterprise use. This tier comes with dedicated CSM and priority support, premium integrations and custom domains, Demio AI, and access to beta features. With this plan, you can have up to 10 people on stage, with attendee rooms of 150, 500, 1,000, or 3,000.

Demio’s free trial requires no commitment or credit card details. Just sign up, fill out a brief survey on how you plan to use the app, and you’re golden.

Demio Features

Demio keeps things simple without skimping on functionality. Once you’re signed in, you’re welcomed by a clean, intuitive dashboard that puts your upcoming events front and center.

Here’s a breakdown of the core features that make Demio a standout in the crowded webinar space:

Dashboard

Demio’s dashboard is built for clarity. You can quickly scroll through upcoming sessions, monitor your events, and navigate between tabs like Schedule and Events. It’s functional, but still has room to improve,especially when switching between creating and managing events. A unified view would make it even smoother.

Events

Demio lets you create three types of events, each tailored to different use cases:

  • Standard Events – Traditional live webinars where attendees register for a single session at a specific time.
  • Series Events – Great for multi-part webinars or training sessions. When users register for one, they’re automatically signed up for the entire series.
  • Automated Events – Pre-recorded sessions that run on autopilot. Perfect for lead nurturing or delivering evergreen content without going live.

Automated events continue to be one of Demio’s strongest features, letting you scale your content while staying hands-off.

Customization

Before your webinar goes live, the Customize tab lets you tweak everything from registration forms to event visuals. You can upload slide decks, create interactive polls, set up handouts, and even brand your webinar pages to match your company’s look.

For Growth and Premium users, custom domains and branding take things even further—ideal for marketing teams or agencies.

Once you’re ready to get started, you can join your session in the Schedule tab. The layout is familiar, with speakers’ video taking up the left and center while the chat tab takes up the right side.

Only one person can be “on stage” at a time, but you can also add and access materials like slides and videos with the middle button on the bottom toolbar. Meanwhile, the + icon next to the chat box lets users access polls, links, and handouts.

Reports

After your session ends, head to the Activity tab to access attendance reports. You’ll see who registered, who actually attended, how long they stayed, and what they engaged with during the session.

Downloadable CSV files make it easy to follow up with participants or segment your leads—an especially useful feature for marketers.

While the data is useful, the reporting could be more advanced (think engagement heatmaps or behavioral trends). Hopefully, that’s in Demio’s roadmap for the near future.

Integrations

I’d honestly like to see a little more variety from Demio’s integrations. On the one hand, their tilt towards martech integrations makes sense. Webinars are generally used for marketing, and being able to connect with Keap, Mailchimp, or your CRM of choice has obvious benefits.

Still, I think there’s a lot more potential to be had with connecting different software to a video conferencing tool. Translators, editing tools, OBS… the sky’s the limit. 

Perhaps the most useful integration is with Zapier. Their micro-integrations let you connect to PayPal, Gmail, Slack, and more.

Conclusion: Is Demio worth it?

If you’re seeking a platform to create engaging webinars, Demio is a great place to look. It’s as intuitive as they come, with a number of unique features that set it apart from the competition. Even among browser-based video tools, the fact that it works on any browser puts it ahead.

As of now, Demio is completely focused on webinars. It’s a leader in that market, so they’re clearly doing something right. Where it disappoints, however, is where it feels too laser-guided towards marketing. By just slightly expanding a few features (integrations, reports, in-call elements), I think Demio’s potential could be that much greater.

PROS

  • No-download, browser-based platform
  • Quick, user-friendly setup
  • Supports live, automated, and series events
  • Clean, customizable interface
  • Great for marketing and lead generation
  • Solid integrations with CRMs and email platforms
  • Zapier access unlocks thousands of app connections
  • Custom branding and domains (Growth & Premium plans)
  • Strong customer support and onboarding
  • Scalable plans for teams of any size

CONS

  • Limited native integrations outside of marketing tools
  • Reporting could be more robust (e.g., engagement insights, AI summaries)
  • Dashboard navigation could be more streamlined
  • Higher-tier pricing may be steep for very small teams

Overall rating: 8.9/10

Ready to give Demio a try? Sign up here.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is demio.com safe?

Yes, demio.com is a secure and reputable site owned by Banzai, using encryption and standard security protocols to protect user data and webinar content.

Is Demio like Zoom?

Demio and Zoom both support video communication, but Demio is specifically built for webinars and marketing events, while Zoom is designed primarily for meetings and general video conferencing.

Is Demio easy to use?

Yes, Demio is known for its clean interface and intuitive setup, making it easy for both hosts and attendees to run or join webinars directly from a browser.

Continue Reading

Technology

Top 12 Uses for The Metaverse That Will Change Your Life

Published

on

person wearing a vr headset

Virtual reality is changing the way we live. Whether you’re using it at home or for work, the metaverse has already made a big impact. But did you know there are many other ways to use it? In this article, you’ll discover 12 exciting uses for the metaverse that could change your everyday life.

1. Residences

Whether you’re using the metaverse for gaming or your home office, this is one place you’ll expect to use virtual reality. One of the most common uses for metaverse technology is entertainment. VR can make gaming more immersive through flying simulators or other advanced computer-connected devices. 

2. Office spaces

Uses for the metaverse int the office

One of the uses for the metaverse that also drew flak from experts is 3D communication. Employees can shift from 2D to 3D virtual communication and make the interaction more connected. While many say the metaverse made them less productive, many love the idea of more immersive connections.

3. Cinemas

Imagine yourself watching a movie in big theaters with a head-mounted VR and experiencing the action like it’s happening in your surroundings? The metaverse will make the cinematic experiences more enjoyable. People love good entertainment, and this is one way to spruce it up. 

4. Stadiums

Stadiums that can accommodate thousands of people can undeniably have a use for the metaverse. These days, some smartphone apps let you point your device to a particular player to download some statistics automatically. The metaverse can do that in the future. Plus, this is an excellent way to have a realistic game experience even when sitting on the farthest benches. This is one of the most exciting uses for the metaverse in sports.

5. Theme parks

person wearing a vr headset

There are many uses for the metaverse in theme parks. For one, you can let visitors immerse themselves in different unique worlds through VR. Secondly, VR integrates digital augmentation for a more realistic ride experience. Plus, movies can also shift from 2D to 3D to make you connect with the fictional universe. 

6. Travel 

When people travel, they want to know more about the destination or tourist attraction. Virtual reality can provide information excitingly and uniquely that will persuade visitors to see it in person. 

7. Shopping malls

The metaverse can replace some store assistants to entertain customers with their initial queries. That’s one of the clever uses for metaverse tools in shopping. This can be an attractive way to promote the store due to this unique concept. Moreover, clothing retail stores can also use VR to let customers try on the clothes without even wearing them. This saves them time to go to dressing rooms and change clothes one after the other.

8. Hospitals

The use of VR in hospitals can give patients and residents a more fun interaction, especially for difficult patients. Caregivers can interact with isolated patients through avatars and vice versa. 

9. Universities

Colleges and universities are undoubtedly places where we see a future using VR technology. Instead of the standard projector, students can learn through more enjoyable methods via 3D learning. 

10. Industrial spaces

We’ll see more VR integration in logistic terminals, warehouses, and factories. For instance, training could involve virtual coaching from trainers using the metaverse. It can also assist with flying and driving simulation, which is helpful in some industries like car manufacturers.

11. Concerts

People are watching and attending concerts differently nowadays. And the use of metaverse can let you enjoy music gigs without actually being present or with an incomplete band. This also increases safety as security can identify guests via real-time information. 

12. Metropolitan areas

Uses of metaverse outside

People can explore the city in a new way via hybrid AR overlays. They can use VR to augment perceptual backgrounds and give them a glimpse of the metropolitan area. 

Continue Reading

Technology

Top 10 Small Business Organization Tools for 2025

Published

on

laptop and documents

Running a small business can get overwhelming without the right systems in place. That’s why finding the best small business organization tools is key to saving time, reducing stress, and keeping your operations on track. 

If you’re wondering, what are the organizational tools for small businesses? They include everything from project management apps to file-sharing platforms and automation software.

Here, we’ve gathered some of the most reliable and easy-to-use tools that can help you stay organized and productive.

1. Trello

A project management software, Trello has boards that will help you organize tasks for each team member. At a glance, you’ll instantly know who is working on what and also see the progress for each. You’ll know when something is due and when something has already been done.

It’s one of the small business organization tools free forever, making it a major draw. For upgrades, Trello now offers:

  • Standard: $5 per user/month (billed annually)
  • Premium: $10 per user/month (annually)
  • Enterprise: $17.50 per user/month (annually), with volume pricing options 

If you’re looking for small business organization tools similar to Trello, here are some standout alternatives:

  • Monday.com – Offers visual boards, automations, dashboards, and CRM integration—ideal for growing teams (Free up to 2 users, with paid tiers starting at $9 per user per month).
  • ClickUp – An all-in-one platform combining boards, docs, time tracking, and goals—often seen as a step up from Trello’s simplicity (Free forever pricing, with paid tiers starting at $7 per user per month).

2. Google Workspace

Previously known as GSuite, Google Workspace offers a full suite of collaboration tools for every business size. It has tools for documents, sheets, slides, chats, calendars, and many others. All these can help you organize projects, track conversations, update proposals, and edit files, easily anywhere in the world. 

If you’re looking for small business organization tools that use AI, Google has now integrated Gemini AI features (like smart summaries and design assistance) into all plans, maintaining AI access but adjusting prices accordingly. Google Workspace’s paid tiers, which let you do more than its free features, start at $7 per month.

3. 1Password

To make managing business more effortless, you’ll need to use not just one but several apps. You’ll also need accounts on multiple websites and social media platforms. To help you keep track of your passwords and any other login details, you’ll need a password manager tool such as 1Password

This tool can help you keep your accounts safe by protecting your passwords as it is integrated into your browser. Its plans, Personal & Family and Team & Business range from $2.99 to $7.99 per month. Its Enterprise plan’s price is available upon request.

4. Dropbox

To keep your files and documents organized in one place, Dropbox is there for you. It lets your team access these anywhere in the world or on whatever device they use. It also integrates with many other collaboration apps, such as Zoom and Slack, for better team connection.

You can use Dropbox for free, but if you want more than 2GB of storage, it offers six premium plans. Depending on your usage, prices range from $9.99 to $24 per user per month. Like others on this small business organization tools list, Dropbox has an Enterprise that provides customization features for a specific price.

5. Zapier

Managing a business means doing repetitive tasks that can tire you or stress you out. If this is you, you need Zapier in your life. It is an automation platform that connects your apps and moves information based on your set rules. It frees you from tasks such as sending reminders, backing up your work, or creating custom alerts, among many others.

For those who want small business organization tools free of charge, Zapier offers a free plan with up to 100 tasks per month, making it perfect for light users or simple workflows.

If you need more, the Pro plan starts at $19.99 per month (billed annually) and includes multi-step workflows, premium app integrations, and access to Zapier’s AI-powered features.

6. Airtable

A database/spreadsheet platform, Airtable allows you to store, share, and edit information collaboratively. It can hold your business information and organize it for easy retrieval and updating anytime and anywhere. It is helpful in managing your sales funnel, the status of projects, and keeping track of your leads.

Airtable is free to use, but like others on this list, it also offers paid plans that give you more features. Pricing ranges from $20 to $45 per month, billed annually. To get its Enterprise plan, you need to contact its sales team to get a quotation.

7. Toggl

A time-tracking app, Toggl lets you track your activities daily and gives you reports on your work and projects, making it one of the must-have small business organization tools. It enables you to track the time used for billable hours, personal projects, and work hours. It is suitable for teams or individuals looking to measure and improve productivity.

You can use Toggl’s free forever plan for up to 5 users, with unlimited time tracking, projects, clients, and exports. When you’re ready to level up, the Starter plan begins at $9 per user per month (annual billing) and adds features like billable rates, customized reports, sub-projects, and project estimates.

8. Zoom

Go global and get connected to your team anywhere they are in the world with Zoom. From audio calls to video conferencing, this is one of the best small business organization tools you need. It can generate transcripts and record meetings, so you won’t have to. 

You can start with Zoom’s Free plan, which supports up to 100 participants and 40-minute meetings. But for longer sessions and advanced features, there are several paid tier, starting at $15.99 per user per month (annual billing), which removes time limits (up to 30 hours), and adds cloud recording, transcripts, and Zoom AI Companion.

9. Loom

Create tutorial videos that your team can turn back to anytime they need them. Loom is the business tool you need for this specific task. This will be ideal if you need to update your team from different time zones or if you need a video for onboarding new hires.

Loom’s starter plan is free to use, but if you have more videos to create, its paid plans have affordable pricing. If you pay annually, the Business plan is priced at $15 per month per user.

10. Penji

Graphic design is an integral part of doing business, so it’s almost impossible not to use it. This could be a problem for small businesses as graphic design is mostly inaccessible and often expensive. Fortunately, there is Penji, an unlimited graphic design service that lets you get all your design needs for a fixed monthly rate.

Penji has three plans, the Pro, Team, and Daytime, with prices starting at $499 per month. With this tool, you can get logo designs, social media graphics, digital ads, newsletter designs, and much more.

You can read our review of Penji here.

Conclusion

Small business owners can find relief when they get these small business organization tools and start the new year right. These will let them do more and spend their precious time doing things that matter more in their business. 

Continue Reading

Trending