Issuu
{{short description|Electronic publishing platform and app}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2016}}
{{Infobox company
| name = Issuu, Inc.
| logo = Issuu logo.svg
| owner = Bending Spoons
| website = {{URL|https://issuu.com/}}
| type = Private
| industry = Electronic publishing
| hq_location = Palo Alto, California, US
| founders = Michael Hansen
Ruben Bjerg Hansen
Mikkel Jensen
Martin Ferro-Thomsen
| foundation = {{start date and age|2006|11|08}}
}}
Issuu, Inc. (pronounced "issue") is a Danish-founded American electronic publishing platform based in Palo Alto, California, United States.{{cite web |title=Issuu Inc – Company Profile and News |url=https://www.bloomberg.com/profile/company/0542392D:DC |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201027200451/https://www.bloomberg.com/profile/company/0542392D:DC |archive-date=2020-10-27 |publisher=Bloomberg}} The company's software converts PDFs into customizable digital publications that can be shared via links or embedded into websites.
Founded in 2006, the company moved its headquarters from Denmark to the United States in 2013.{{cite web|url=https://www.bizjournals.com/sanjose/news/2013/09/16/danish-issuu-hires-us-ceo-moves-hq.html|title=Danish online publisher Issuu hires U.S. CEO, moves HQ to Palo Alto|first= Cromwell |last=Schubarth|website=bizjournals.com}}
History
Issuu was founded in Copenhagen, Denmark, in 2006 by Michael and Rubyn Bjerg Hansen, Mikkel Jensen, and Martin Ferro-Thomsen.{{cite web |url=http://issuu.com/about |title=About issuu |publisher=issuu.com |access-date=15 March 2016}}
In 2009, Apple rejected Issuu's app three times, because it was seen as too similar to Apple's planned Newsstand service.{{Cite web |last=Perez |first=Sarah |date=2014-10-03 |title=Issuu Brings Its "YouTube For Magazines" To The iPhone And iPad |url=https://techcrunch.com/2014/10/03/issuu-brings-its-youtube-for-magazines-to-the-iphone-and-ipad/ |access-date=2024-07-31 |website=TechCrunch |language=en-US}}{{cite web|url=http://www.digitaltrends.com/mobile/issuu-gets-android-app/|first=Kate|last=Knibbs|title=Magazine reader Issuu joins the Android Army, offers 15 million publications|work=Digital Trends|date=21 January 2014}} In August 2009, the company's website was named one of Time's 50 Best Websites.{{cite web |first=Adam |last=Fisher |date=24 August 2009 |title=50 Best Websites 2009 |url=http://content.time.com/time/specials/packages/article/0,28804,1918031_1918016_1918004,00.html |access-date=15 March 2016 |work=Time}}
By 2011, Issuu software was used by several online publications.{{cite web |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2011/06/02/garden/the-thriving-online-shelter-magazine-industry.html?pagewanted=all |title=The Thriving (Online) Shelter Magazine Industry |first=Steven |last=Kurutz |work=The New York Times |date=1 June 2011 |access-date=15 March 2016}}
In early 2013, the company opened an office in Palo Alto, California and appointed CEO Joe Hyrkin, formerly of Reverb, Trinity Ventures, and Yahoo!, to helm its Silicon Valley operations.{{cite web |url=http://publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/digital/content-and-e-books/article/59118-fast-growing-issuu-appoints-joe-hyrkin-ceo.html |title=Fast Growing issuu Appoints Joe Hyrkin CEO |first=Calvin |last=Reid |work=Publishers Weekly |date=16 September 2013 |access-date=15 March 2016}}{{cite web|url=http://fortune.com/2015/05/08/joe-hyrkin-how-to-manage/|title=How to be more bossy at work (in a good way)|date=8 May 2015}} The company soon moved its headquarters to the Palo Alto location.{{cite web|url=http://www.xconomy.com/san-francisco/2013/12/04/issuu-now-california-based-helps-niche-publishers-go-digital/|title=Issuu, Now California-Based, Helps Niche Publishers Go Digital |work= Xconomy|date=4 December 2013}} Upon the move, the founders of Issuu stated that they chose the city as they saw social media and digital distribution partnerships as the key to its growth, rather than focusing mostly on publishing relationships.{{cite web|url=http://www.mercurynews.com/2013/09/27/cassidy-issuu-shows-silicon-valleys-vital-role-in-global-commerce/|first=Mike|last=Cassidy|title=Cassidy: Issuu shows Silicon Valley's vital role in global commerce |work= The Mercury News|date= 27 September 2013}} Also in 2013, Issuu acquired the Denmark-based software company Magma, including the company's software that allowed collaboration between editorial teams in organizing, laying out and proofing publications. The financial terms of the acquisition were not disclosed.{{Cite web |last=Wauters |first=Robin |date=2013-03-05 |title=Issuu Hits 10 Million Publication, Buys Software Firm Magma |url=https://thenextweb.com/news/issuu-hits-10-million-digital-publications-acquires-publishing-software-maker-magma |access-date=2023-06-30 |website=TNW {{!}} Insider |language=en}}
In January 2014, Issuu released its Android app.{{cite web|url=https://techcrunch.com/2014/10/03/issuu-brings-its-youtube-for-magazines-to-the-iphone-and-ipad/|title=issuu Brings its "YouTube for Magazines" to the iPhone and iPad|first=Sarah|last=Perez|date=3 October 2014|publisher=TechCrunch|access-date=15 March 2016}} In July 2014, the company released Clip, a tool that allowed readers to take a snapshot of any part of a publication and share that on social media or through email.{{cite web|url=https://thenextweb.com/apps/2014/07/09/issuu-launches-clip-help-users-publishers-share-best-16m-publications/|title=Issuu launches Clip to help users and publishers share the best of its 16m publications|first=Martin|last=Bryant|date=9 July 2014|publisher=The Next Web|access-date=15 March 2016}} In October 2014 Issuu released its iOS app to access Issuu on Apple devices. By 2014 the platform hosted more than 18 million publications{{Cite web |last=Perez |first=Sarah |date=2014-10-03 |title=Issuu Brings Its "YouTube For Magazines" To The iPhone And iPad |url=https://techcrunch.com/2014/10/03/issuu-brings-its-youtube-for-magazines-to-the-iphone-and-ipad/ |access-date=2023-06-30 |website=TechCrunch |language=en-US}} and had 83 million users.{{Cite web |date=2014-01-21 |title=Magazine Reader Issuu Debuts Android App, Offers 15 Million Pubs |url=https://www.digitaltrends.com/mobile/issuu-gets-android-app/ |access-date=2023-06-30 |website=Digital Trends |language=en}}
In 2019, Issuu announced the launch of Issuu Promote, an ad integration tool for Facebook and Instagram, allowing for content to be distributed across multiple social media channels.{{Cite web|url=https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20191104005135/en/Issuu-Launches-Issuu-Promote-Story-Ad-Integration|title=Issuu Launches Issuu Promote: Story Ad Integration for Facebook and Instagram|date=2019-11-04|website=businesswire.com|language=en|access-date=2020-02-24}}
The company announced that its iOS and Android apps would be discontinued in April 2023.{{Cite web|url=https://help.issuu.com/hc/en-us/articles/13336638442267-Mobile-App-Sunset|title=Mobile App Sunset – Issuu Help Center}}
In July 2024, the Italian technology company Bending Spoons announced it had acquired Issuu.{{Cite web |last= |first= |date=2024-07-22 |title=Digital publishing platform Issuu acquired by Bending Spoons |url=https://www.editorandpublisher.com/stories/digital-publishing-platform-issuu-acquired-by-bending-spoons,251034 |access-date=2024-07-22 |website=Editor & Publisher |language=en}}
=Funding=
The company obtained $10 million in Series B that closed in 2014.{{Cite web |title=Issuu Raises $10M to Become 'YouTube' for Catalogs, Magazines |url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/BL-VCDB-15014 |access-date=2024-07-31}} In September 2021, Issuu closed a round of financing that raised $31 million.{{Cite web |last= |date=2021-09-29 |title=Issuu Raises $31M from Capital IP |url=https://www.finsmes.com/2021/09/issuu-raises-31m-from-capital-ip.html |access-date=2024-07-31 |website=FinSMEs |language=en-US}}
Products and services
Issuu develops apps that convert PDFs into digital publications that can be shared via links or embedded into websites. Users can edit their publications by customizing the design, using templates, or adding links and multimedia to the pages of their documents. Issuu also provides tools for measuring and monetization of content.
The app includes an offline reading list function that allowed users to read from the Issuu app without being online. The app can also stack publications back to back so that they can be read in succession.{{cite web|url=http://appadvice.com/appnn/2014/10/shelf-control-free-magazines-issues-are-right-at-your-fingertips-with-issuu-for-ios|title=Shelf Control: Free magazine issues are right at your fingertips with Issuu for iOS|author=AppAdvice Staff}}
See also
References
{{reflist|30em}}
Further reading
- {{cite news |url=https://blogs.wsj.com/venturecapital/2014/07/14/issuu-raises-10m-to-become-youtube-for-catalogs-magazines/ |title=Venture Capital Dispatch: issuu Raises $10M to Become "YouTube" for Catalogs, Magazines |first=Lora |last=Kolodny |newspaper=The Wall Street Journal |date=14 July 2014 |access-date=15 March 2016}}