Startup Insticator rewards TV show predictions
A New York startup called Insticator will reward people for watching more TV.
Insticator's social plug-in "gamifies" predicting plot twists, and the company is a few weeks away from launching a system where correct guesses earn viewers points that are redeemable for prizes. The plug-in, which is skinnable, can run as a standalone Web app or be incorporated into a show's fan page. Insticator will earn revenues by charging its clients a maintenance fee and embedding ads in the app.
"We're going after shows with engaged audiences," said CEO Zack Dugow. Insticator will also make suggestions for related programming that the viewers may like, he said.
The potential market is significant with Americans spending an average of at least 34 hours per week watching TV. Insticator's board members include Songza founder Elias Roman and venture capitalist Selig A. Zises; "Saved by the Bell" creator Peter Engel may soon join. The company has no customers yet but is negotiating with networks.
Insticator was founded in 2011, but didn't begin development in earnest until 2012. An iOS should be released within a few months, but the existing plug-in is designed for mobile, Dugow said.
Image credits: Insticator, The Onion
Related on SmartPlanet:
This post was originally published on Smartplanet.com