Product beta testing with a target user base delivers invaluable, and often surprising information to developers. Sometimes the data they gather will cause a shift in priorities, a new or revised feature, and sometimes spawn an entirely new product.
Such is the case with Kiwi, Acacia’s new flagship product. Having gathered feedback from their July beta testers, the team has decided to shift their focus to what their users loved best.
“Pivoting from wax was a very difficult decision,” says CEO Jayme Hoffman. “We watched the way [our testers] were using the app very carefully and saw that they didn’t care about several of the main components of wax. Competing with their friends simply wasn’t important to them, but they loved uploading videos. Taking that feedback, we decided to strip wax down and focus on what we did best… Helping people see and share the exciting world around them through video.”
Pivots Happen
The team has decided to strictly focus on further developing their custom made video capture application they designed for the wax app. Following a trip to the grocery store for inspiration, the team decided to call the project “Kiwi.”
“Our app allows you to upload a video, choose your thumbnail and you add filters to make that thumbnail really beautiful. Once you tap the thumbnail you see all the juice, flavor and vibrance of the rest of the story, just as you do when you cut open a kiwi. Each of us laughed at the name but we kept calling it Kiwi and so it stuck. “
Having carefully studied the existing competition, Acacia are confident they can sweep the market with a superior product.
“Kiwi gives you the capability to broadcast your life with the web similar to YouTube, but is as easy and fast as capturing an Instagram image. There are a couple apps trying to accomplish the same thing but they simply aren’t as easy, fast and beautiful as Kiwi is.”
Details on Kiwi are being kept under wraps, but the team is excited to reveal it to the world on Investor Day, August 23. You can also follow Kiwi on AngelList.
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