Virtual meetings have gained substantial popularity in recent years, due hugely to the spike in remote-work needs during the COVID-19 pandemic. Even when taking senses of fatigue from video conferencing into account, convening virtually offers convenience and great tools for accessibility, cost-savings (i.e. by lessening or eliminating needs for travel, notably) and much more.
And while there are undeniably both pros and cons to the virtual nature of fully remote and hybrid workspaces, the topic is still under quite a spotlight for businesses deliberating what the future of work may really look like.
Enter Scoot (formerly known as Preciate), a purpose-driven and self-described purpose-over-profit platform devoted to virtual meeting and event technologies that promote real relationship growth in earnest.
Scoot announced that it closed a $12 million Series A funding round; this will be invested in its development scalabilities in supporting 3,300 companies (and counting) worldwide with superior forms of engagement for virtual gatherings.
Also, let’s not breeze past that name change. For Scoot, this is simpler and perhaps more casual than one may think, and yet it still bears importance. The value in movement and energy in today’s age is evident (especially when striving to host top-notch meetings and successful gatherings both small and large), so “scooting” along is the way to do it, the company believes.
“Gone are the days of static images pinned to our screens,” a Scoot representative said. “We aim to redefine – and unlock a new dimension for – meetings taking place virtually by replicating what happens when a group of people gather in person to network and share ideas. Our upside at Scoot is the delivery of engaging experiences that end up resembling physical get-togethers, but with virtualized agility and flexibility.”
Enterprises left and right are, admittedly, still struggling with levels of disengagement from remote employees. All-Hands meetings, webinars, networking events, learning sessions, recruiting and onboarding can be improved with what Scoot is bringing to market. With Scoot, participants move naturally through virtual spaces, allowing them to be authentically present and to strike up spontaneous discussions. Scoot delivers realistic audio controls, as well; volume grows softer or louder dynamically. And with custom backgrounds, diverse music selections and unique room items, “every meeting is an opportunity to celebrate your brand,” the company has stated.
“We have all seen and felt first-hand the ongoing frustrations of legacy virtual meeting platforms,” said Gabriel Goncalves, Managing Partner at Woodland Capital (one of Scoot’s leading investors) and now the company’s new Executive Chairman of the Board. “Scoot offers a fresh alternative to the sea of silent black boxes that has come to be synonymous with remote work. We believe that there is a huge opportunity to expand Scoot's presence around the globe.”
Ed Stevens, Scoot’s CEO, also commented on Scoot’s rebranding and its overall value proposition.
“Scoot is a fun name,” Stevens said, “and it reflect the energy we bring to meetings. We don’t even think of this as a product; rather, it’s a movement of people who believe that technology can actually bring us closer together as we address and navigate through topics like employee detachment and dissatisfaction.”
“And this Series A financing,” Stevens continued, “closed in the midst of a significant tech bear market, proves there is a massive need for Scoot. We're going to continue expanding our platform and making it better, all while global enterprise demand for our offerings expands.”
Edited by
Greg Tavarez
