AOL Acquires Truveo | TechCrunch

Truveo has an innovative way for quickly indexing media content such as audio and video, and figuring out what it is even if there is little or no meta data associated with it. It is an

incredibly useful technology and search engine.

I like Truveo, which launched in September, because it relies on a core hard-to-duplicate technology rather than a business plan which creates a network effect. The only other web 2.0

company that I can think of off the top of my head that is similar is Riya, which is also building some very tricky stuff. This doesn’t mean I don’t like network-effect companies. To the

contrary, I love them. But if you can build something that is protectable on the IP side as well, then you may just have a large liquidity event, too.

Jeff Clavier is an advisory to Truveo and wrote about the acquitision today as well. I’ve gotten to know Jeff quite a bit over the last few months. I am not saying he is fully or even mostly

responsible for this acquisition (I have no idea), but I do think that he adds a lot of value to his clients and his “stamp of approval” is becoming a seriously valuable asset. If you are

luck enough to work with him, your chances of success increase dramatically.

Michael Arrington most recently Co-Founded CrunchFund after leading TechCrunch to a successful exit with AOL. His venture investments include Uber, Airbnb and Pinterest. Michael was the

Editor of TechCrunch, which he founded in 2005. In 2008 Time Magazine named Michael “One of the World’s 100 most influential people”. Michael also practiced securities law at O’Melveny &

Myers and Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati.Michael graduated from Stanford Law School and 
Claremont McKenna College.