Hotmail co-founder Sabeer Bhatia has unveiled his new venture, ShowReel, a social video messaging platform designed to match job seekers with companies struggling to find talent.
The Silicon-Valley based serial entrepreneur, who sold Hotmail to Microsoft for $400 million in 2017, said that the platform aims to enable employment and upskilling opportunities for jobseekers globally. The venture, which is self-funded, is cofounded by Aji Abraham.
“This product was a direct result of the pandemic … the real idea for ShowReel was, why can we not make professional videos with a purpose – not just for entertainment for other people to see, but for communicating something about me and what is the most important thing that you want to communicate when you want to get hired?” Bhatia was quoted as saying by India’s newswire service PTI.
“Since the genesis of my entrepreneurial journey, building purpose-driven tech has been my driving force. This pursuit started with connecting millions of people across borders with Hotmail and today found its realization with ShowReel,” he added.
ShowReel, designed by a team of 20 people based in India, will allow jobseekers to create professional videos of themselves in response to questions posed by mentors or hiring companies. The app then stitches these responses together to create a professional ShowReel.
These questions will give people looking for guidance across professional, personal, leadership, and entrepreneurial growth an opportunity to prepare and self-improve.
ShowReel has already started onboarding some of the top recruiters in India. The app is already available on App Store (iOS) and Google Play (Android).
ShowReel is also helping startup founders to create a short video pitch that showcases their ideas to investors. The videos can be also shared on other social media platforms.
Bhatia feels that the time is right for such a platform in the market. “Smartphones have proliferated the world over. The prices of smartphones are falling … Even the poorer sections of society have access. Here’s an opportunity to bring out the best in people, helping them make videos for a good cause, for employment, or health, for whatever reason,” he further explained.
The platform will also leverage artificial intelligence to analyze collected data and drive actionable insights for the audience. “As we grow, we will empower people with conversations and opportunities that go beyond employment and upskilling.”
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