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Jun 23, 2016 · 25m · top-founders

EP 315: Mom Just Had Baby, $100 Million Raised Augmented Reality, 65 Million Users

Jess Butcher · 14m spoken Nathan Latka · 8m spoken
0:00 / 0:00

gold bands on the timeline = statements, start to end. Hover to read, click to jump. CC turns on captions

Host Nathan Latka interviews Blippar co-founder Jess Butcher to discuss how the visual browser platform raised over $100 million, scaled enterprise brand partnerships, and established its market vision for computer vision technology.

How this conversation actually went

Every chapter scored 0–10 on four independent dynamics. Hover any point for the reasoning behind the score. Nathan holds 36.9% of the talking time here. How this is scored →

Nathan as informed peer 3.3 Guest teaching 4.0 Guest disagreement 1.8 Nathan pushing back 3.3
05100:0010:0020:001:04–3:47 · Nathan as informed peer 3/10 Introducing Jess Butcher and Blippar's Visual Browser Technology Nathan introduces the guest and asks standard framing questions about how Blippar operates. Jess clarifies and educates Nathan on the distinction between pure augmented reality overlays and their broader visual search/image recognition engine.3:48–12:46 · Nathan as informed peer 5/10 Enterprise Brand Partnerships, Monetization Strategy, and Blip Builder Nathan pushes hard to pin down contract sizes and attempts back-of-the-envelope revenue calculations ($50M run rate). Jess repeatedly refuses to disclose revenue figures, corrects Nathan's simplistic math, and introduces their low-cost self-serve Blip Builder platform.12:47–19:42 · Nathan as informed peer 4/10 B2B2C User Acquisition, Layar Acquisition, and Visual Search Ambitions Nathan asks about app store metrics, acquisition motivations for Layar, and VC capital terms. Jess explains their B2B2C acquisition model, data advantages, and long-term vision of becoming a consumer verb through real-time physical object search.19:43–24:06 · Nathan as informed peer 1/10 Mid-Roll Cash Giveaway Promotion and HostGator Website Hosting Offer The segment includes mid-roll sponsor reads followed by the rapid-fire Famous Five interview section. The dynamic is friendly, lighthearted, and conversational with no adversarial friction.1:04–3:47 · Guest teaching 5/10 Introducing Jess Butcher and Blippar's Visual Browser Technology Nathan introduces the guest and asks standard framing questions about how Blippar operates. Jess clarifies and educates Nathan on the distinction between pure augmented reality overlays and their broader visual search/image recognition engine.3:48–12:46 · Guest teaching 5/10 Enterprise Brand Partnerships, Monetization Strategy, and Blip Builder Nathan pushes hard to pin down contract sizes and attempts back-of-the-envelope revenue calculations ($50M run rate). Jess repeatedly refuses to disclose revenue figures, corrects Nathan's simplistic math, and introduces their low-cost self-serve Blip Builder platform.12:47–19:42 · Guest teaching 5/10 B2B2C User Acquisition, Layar Acquisition, and Visual Search Ambitions Nathan asks about app store metrics, acquisition motivations for Layar, and VC capital terms. Jess explains their B2B2C acquisition model, data advantages, and long-term vision of becoming a consumer verb through real-time physical object search.19:43–24:06 · Guest teaching 1/10 Mid-Roll Cash Giveaway Promotion and HostGator Website Hosting Offer The segment includes mid-roll sponsor reads followed by the rapid-fire Famous Five interview section. The dynamic is friendly, lighthearted, and conversational with no adversarial friction.1:04–3:47 · Guest disagreement 1/10 Introducing Jess Butcher and Blippar's Visual Browser Technology Nathan introduces the guest and asks standard framing questions about how Blippar operates. Jess clarifies and educates Nathan on the distinction between pure augmented reality overlays and their broader visual search/image recognition engine.3:48–12:46 · Guest disagreement 4/10 Enterprise Brand Partnerships, Monetization Strategy, and Blip Builder Nathan pushes hard to pin down contract sizes and attempts back-of-the-envelope revenue calculations ($50M run rate). Jess repeatedly refuses to disclose revenue figures, corrects Nathan's simplistic math, and introduces their low-cost self-serve Blip Builder platform.12:47–19:42 · Guest disagreement 2/10 B2B2C User Acquisition, Layar Acquisition, and Visual Search Ambitions Nathan asks about app store metrics, acquisition motivations for Layar, and VC capital terms. Jess explains their B2B2C acquisition model, data advantages, and long-term vision of becoming a consumer verb through real-time physical object search.19:43–24:06 · Guest disagreement 0/10 Mid-Roll Cash Giveaway Promotion and HostGator Website Hosting Offer The segment includes mid-roll sponsor reads followed by the rapid-fire Famous Five interview section. The dynamic is friendly, lighthearted, and conversational with no adversarial friction.1:04–3:47 · Nathan pushing back 2/10 Introducing Jess Butcher and Blippar's Visual Browser Technology Nathan introduces the guest and asks standard framing questions about how Blippar operates. Jess clarifies and educates Nathan on the distinction between pure augmented reality overlays and their broader visual search/image recognition engine.3:48–12:46 · Nathan pushing back 6/10 Enterprise Brand Partnerships, Monetization Strategy, and Blip Builder Nathan pushes hard to pin down contract sizes and attempts back-of-the-envelope revenue calculations ($50M run rate). Jess repeatedly refuses to disclose revenue figures, corrects Nathan's simplistic math, and introduces their low-cost self-serve Blip Builder platform.12:47–19:42 · Nathan pushing back 4/10 B2B2C User Acquisition, Layar Acquisition, and Visual Search Ambitions Nathan asks about app store metrics, acquisition motivations for Layar, and VC capital terms. Jess explains their B2B2C acquisition model, data advantages, and long-term vision of becoming a consumer verb through real-time physical object search.19:43–24:06 · Nathan pushing back 1/10 Mid-Roll Cash Giveaway Promotion and HostGator Website Hosting Offer The segment includes mid-roll sponsor reads followed by the rapid-fire Famous Five interview section. The dynamic is friendly, lighthearted, and conversational with no adversarial friction.

speaking balance: gold is Nathan, purple is the guest (3 minute bins)

0:00 · Nathan 60.2% · guest 39.8%0:00 · Nathan 60.2% · guest 39.8%3:00 · Nathan 20.4% · guest 79.6%3:00 · Nathan 20.4% · guest 79.6%6:00 · Nathan 27.1% · guest 72.9%6:00 · Nathan 27.1% · guest 72.9%9:00 · Nathan 35.3% · guest 64.7%9:00 · Nathan 35.3% · guest 64.7%12:00 · Nathan 20.6% · guest 79.4%12:00 · Nathan 20.6% · guest 79.4%15:00 · Nathan 21.4% · guest 78.6%15:00 · Nathan 21.4% · guest 78.6%18:00 · Nathan 51.5% · guest 48.5%18:00 · Nathan 51.5% · guest 48.5%21:00 · Nathan 36.2% · guest 63.8%21:00 · Nathan 36.2% · guest 63.8%24:00 · Nathan 98.4% · guest 1.6%24:00 · Nathan 98.4% · guest 1.6%
Sharpest disagreement ▶ 10:41 Jess firmly refuses to disclose revenue ranges

Jess shuts down Nathan's attempt to calculate $50 million in revenue, explicitly rejecting the simplified math and declining to offer even a high/low range.

 Hardest push from Nathan ▶ 10:22 Nathan pushes for financial transparency

Nathan refuses to accept generalities and pushes Jess to confirm a concrete minimum revenue estimate based on her provided customer count and average contract value.

 Biggest teaching moment ▶ 2:26 Jess distinguishes image recognition from AR

Jess reframes Nathan's question by explaining that Blippar is not merely an AR overlay tool, but an AI-powered visual browser capable of search without words.

 Nathan holds their own ▶ 15:30 Nathan digs into Series D venture economics

Nathan demonstrates familiarity with venture terms by detailing Series D liquidation preferences and how structural terms impact founder exit requirements.
the scores for every segment, with the reasoning behind each
ChapterTopicNathan as informed peerGuest teachingGuest disagreementNathan pushing backWhy
Introducing Jess Butcher and Blippar's Visual Browser Technology 3512 Nathan introduces the guest and asks standard framing questions about how Blippar operates. Jess clarifies and educates Nathan on the distinction between pure augmented reality overlays and their broader visual search/image recognition engine.
Enterprise Brand Partnerships, Monetization Strategy, and Blip Builder 5546 Nathan pushes hard to pin down contract sizes and attempts back-of-the-envelope revenue calculations ($50M run rate). Jess repeatedly refuses to disclose revenue figures, corrects Nathan's simplistic math, and introduces their low-cost self-serve Blip Builder platform.
B2B2C User Acquisition, Layar Acquisition, and Visual Search Ambitions 4524 Nathan asks about app store metrics, acquisition motivations for Layar, and VC capital terms. Jess explains their B2B2C acquisition model, data advantages, and long-term vision of becoming a consumer verb through real-time physical object search.
Mid-Roll Cash Giveaway Promotion and HostGator Website Hosting Offer 1101 The segment includes mid-roll sponsor reads followed by the rapid-fire Famous Five interview section. The dynamic is friendly, lighthearted, and conversational with no adversarial friction.

Statements from this episode (9)

Assertion Not checkable as stated
Butcher: Blippar can visually recognize anything in the physical world
“We harness very sophisticated computer vision and image recognition technologies now to effectively be able to recognize anything in the physical world around us through the eye or camera of the smart device. And immediately recognize it and translate it into …”
Jess Butcher Jun 23, 2016 ▶ 2:01
Disclosure
Butcher: Brand and advertising partners are Blippar's primary revenue source
“Our brand and advertising partners which by the way, is our main monetization source right now.”
Jess Butcher Jun 23, 2016 ▶ 3:35
Assertion Supported
Butcher: Blippar has raised just over $100M to date
“Just over a hundred we've raised today.”
Jess Butcher Jun 23, 2016 ▶ 5:17
Assertion Not checkable as stated
Butcher: Blippar's average enterprise deal size is mid-six-figures
“It's a six figure deal now is an average that we're working on sort of middling six figures, I think would be fair to say”
Jess Butcher Jun 23, 2016 ▶ 8:34
Assertion Not checkable as stated
Butcher: Blippar works with well over 500 direct brand partners
“So we're working with well over 500 different brands and asset owners to date to bring their marketing collateral and products to life.”
Jess Butcher Jun 23, 2016 ▶ 9:03
Assertion Not checkable as stated
Butcher: Tens of thousands of organizations have used Blip Builder
“There are actually tens of thousands of organizations that have harnessed our technology in more of a self-service model. Using a tool that we have in place called Blip Builder”
Jess Butcher Jun 23, 2016 ▶ 11:57
Assertion Not checkable as stated
Butcher: Blippar holds more camera usage data than anyone else worldwide
“And now we are very much becoming a data company and we have more data than anyone else as to how people use the camera in this way, what they're looking at, what they want to look at that they can't access content on and how they're playing with this content.…”
Jess Butcher Jun 23, 2016 ▶ 15:11
Disclosure
Butcher: Blippar is not for sale and aims to become a verb
“We are, we're certainly not looking to sell. We're not in the market for an acquisition. We, as co-founders that started this business will not be happy until to blip is a word that is as commonly known as liking on Facebook or Googling something or tweeting.”
Jess Butcher Jun 23, 2016 ▶ 16:14
Prediction Not checkable as stated
Butcher: Blippar's visual AI will reach adult-level maturity by 2017
“Yes, and it will be, it'll be reaching maturity of an adult brain within the coming year, and that's what's so exciting, and that will create a whole new behavior to what we're doing with blepper, that rather than it being reactive and you having to wait until…”
Jess Butcher Jun 23, 2016 ▶ 17:53
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