Happy Halloween! (Major Updates!)

What’s been going on at Agora:

taken just before we got in trouble for throwing pumpkins

Startups move quickly. Just a month and a half ago, we released a little Fall Update about our product and company. We had a turbulent, awesome summer, and that post summarized that work. A month and a half later, our product has developed exponentially. Our team is hard at work moving from the abstract into reality, closing deals, developing better features, and learning new things every day. And it’s a little bit scary, because it’s been a blur! But here are some things to look forward to, some things we’ve been up to, and some newer features you may not have noticed.

(p.s. sign up for Agora to get our newsletter, which is this post in a nutshell!)

Rich Text in comments

Rich text (text you can format) allows you to express more in fewer words. Online conversations work better when they mirror real-life conversations; inflections, sarcasm, and emphasis give clarity and meaning to sentences and phrases. Rich text allows you to incorporate these aspects of conversations into online comments. Instead of explaining a position or a nuance in many words, a reader can get a better sense of what you’re trying to say as you type it out. It seems small, but it makes a huge impact in the way we interact online.

Forbes 30 Under 30 Summit

Agora was invited to present at the Forbes 30 under 30 Summit in Boston mid-October. It was so much fun- we had access to great speakers, learned about different startups, attended celebrity-spotted events (looking at you, Jason Derulo bar crawl), and presented Agora to super cool people. It was such a treat (get it?) to be a part of.

(from Isabel’s snapchat- yes, there was a cranberry bog in the middle of government center)

Highlights

We implemented highlights a few weeks ago, which allow you to see the top comments in an idea. Anyone can pin a part of a comment to the top of the conversation thread, allowing someone who’s late to the conversation to see the toplines. Learn more here.

Bostinno 50 On Fire List

Our CEO, Elsa, is a Civic-category finalist for the Bostinno magazine 50 On Fire List! The list is a way to highlight the best that Boston has to offer. The Civic category includes “catalysts for change socially, economically and environmentally that are on fire this year.” Any opportunity to share Agora’s story is incredible, and we’re honored to be nominated.

Onesies

We’re a startup, and we do fun things like dress up in onesies for Halloween. Need I say more?