Fanpictor — The Spot 2018
Fanpictor developed an ultrasound technology to transmit data over audio in large stadiums and let sponsors and teams better engage with their fans. The smartphones of the audience can then be used to display customized content and improve the fan experience.
Stephan Schuerer, co-founder and CEO, tells us more about this technology.
The Swiss Unicorn: There are other technologies and tools (such as LED wristbands) which can be used to engage with large audiences. How do you differentiate yourselves from your competitors?
Let me go back a little to answer this question. I found myself some years ago in a stadium with 40’000 people with the impossibility to reach my friends on their phones because the network was down. After this experience, I contacted my friends at ETH Zürich to see how we could solve the connectivity issue in stadiums. We wanted to have a cost-efficient solution that makes no use of additional complicated infrastructure. This is how we ended up using sound to transfer data to smartphones. This solution is completely network independent.
We embed our technology in the mobile app of our client. Our solution increases user engagement and drives traffic on the client’s platform. With our product, the end user connects to the team or partner app; not to the Fanpictor brand.
Going back to competition. We had two main competitors that had a similar approach, but they did not manage to make it work. In theory, this technology is supposed to be relatively easy to implement but in practice, it is quite a challenge to make this work in all PA systems (Public Address system) without additional infrastructure investment. We have proven that our technology works the same way in an old stadium from the 60’s in the Swiss Alps or in the Madison Square Garden.
How do you offer your service? Do you offer the app integration as well as on-site support? Do you bring additional hardware such as specific amplifiers?
We offer a white-label solution; in other words, an SDK package. During the day of the event, our high-frequency message is put on an audio file that the DJ of the stadium can ‘simply just’ play. We do not have to be present on-site. The first time, we are usually there to make sure that everything runs smoothly. Afterward, customers have a web-based solution to let them manage the whole process. They just have to choose the song they want and play it.
What kind of data do you send to the smartphones?
In comparison to other technologies such as Bluetooth or Wifi, the data transfer rate of sound has physical limits. However the big strength of sound where sound is superior to all other technologies is syncing and capacity overload. We take advantage of these critical strengths of the sound technology using it to trigger content and as well as synchronization.
You target different types of events and sports. How do you approach potential customers?
We aim to show to our stakeholders how our software provides added value, which very importantly can be measured. Given the ecosystem of the market, we work with the rights holder, brands (sponsors) and their agencies.
As an example of added value, we leverage data analytics and help our clients make better decisions. This is something that alternatives such as wristbands cannot offer and is also why we believe that the future lies in the use of smartphones. In the long term, what we bring to the table is much more appealing.
What do you expect from an event such as The Spot?
I was in the US during the last two years to establish our North American office. Now I am back in Switzerland with my family. It is a great place for innovation and sports with all the federations present in the country. Today I want to meet people, tell them about our learnings from the US market and have interesting discussions. I see this event as a good networking platform. It is a must to be here.
How would you compare the North American market with Europe in your specific field?
We are in the field of fan engagement and sponsor activation. It is a huge market in the US. Fans have a different tradition there as in Europe. European fans typically follow the same football or hockey team for decades and have a very traditional and purist view on their sport. I can see that in our talks about commercialization and the challenges it represents.
In the US, sports are assimilated as an entertainment event. You want to go to the stadium with your family and have fun. You want to play games, you want to be entertained and you know that entertainment is not for free.
Would you say that people are more conservative here?
They are more conservative with advertising methods that put a brand on your face. In Europe, brand awareness through led signage is accepted and seen as important, but deeper experiences are not that important yet. On the contrary, you see a total shift towards experiential marketing in the US. You want to lead the user to have memories associated with the brand, to generate content that is shareable among friends. Marketing based solely on led signage cannot achieve the same experiences and connect the user to the brand.
From an entrepreneurial perspective, could you share a failure or something you would do differently?
I do not have a background in sports. I have a passion for sports and entrepreneurship, but my background is in business and finance. When I started this business, I thought that this passion would drive everything. I underestimated the relevance of having a network and being established in this industry. I did not have that industry network and therefore establishing myself in the sports industry was definitely not the easiest part. It took me a long period of time. It is a key learning.
A second element is that as a company we moved to the US maybe too quickly. I had to hire people quickly to setup our presence there but then had the uncomfortable experience to trim-down the team again. We have been scaling too fast. It was a tough experience. You must stay focused to grow in a viable manner.
Let me jump into the future. How will user engagement in stadiums look like in 50 years from now?
We will see an increase in the adoption of audio-based solutions. We will be able to easily control things with sounds and voice. It starts to be the case with Alexa or Siri-like applications. I would not dare to say anything for a 50 years’ time frame. But I am convinced that in 10 years, the user experience in the stadium will be much more interactive. You will be able to be in the shoes of the athletes and experience their vision. We already have a few initiatives using virtual and augmented reality. For now, the hardware components enabling these experiences are too bulky. I predict that it will become less hardware intensive with a seamless integration.
The Swiss Unicorn is an online startup media which focuses on Swiss startups. We publish interviews of different actors of the Swiss startup ecosystem.
