TL;DR:
- Capsule, a Paris-based startup, combines AI and human editorial curation to revolutionize news consumption.
- The app provides a user-friendly experience with a vertical scrolling feed of news headlines and summaries.
- Capsule aims to go beyond aggregation, offering a deeper dive into the news with additional research, making it akin to a mini newsletter.
- AI is used to distill essential information, while Capsule’s editorial team ensures quality and relevance.
- The app currently employs a team of ten global freelancers who are passionate about curating news.
- Capsule is considering a freemium model in the future, contingent on user experience and market traction.
Main AI News:
In a digital age where information overload is the norm, Paris-based startup Capsule is on a mission to redefine the way people consume daily news. Rather than offering just another news aggregator, Capsule aspires to become the “Spotify for news,” merging cutting-edge AI technology with the discerning touch of human editorial curation to deliver a news-reading experience that transforms articles, newsletter snippets, and even social media updates into easily digestible content through its user-friendly app.
Capsule’s user experience shares similarities with popular social apps like TikTok, featuring a vertical scrolling feed that presents news in a visually appealing manner. Users can swipe through a series of headlines accompanied by relevant images or screenshots of posts on platforms such as LinkedIn and X. Tapping on any headline grants access to a concise news summary, with the option to navigate to the full article or social post on the original publisher’s website.
The brainchild of co-founders Jérôme Boé and Arthur de Villemandy, Capsule draws inspiration from their previous endeavors. Boé developed Snax, a short-form video app, while Villemandy authored the newsletter “Magma,” focusing on business trends and insights. Their motivation for Capsule was clear: to make high-quality news more accessible through a network of skilled curators. As part of its long-term vision, the company plans to structure news and information similar to how Spotify organizes music, creating curated “playlists” and offering personalized recommendations.
Capsule differentiates itself from traditional news aggregators like Google News. Boé explains, “It’s more than just clicking through to a source. Think of it as a starting point where we dive deeper. We research, cross-reference, and inject extra data to give users a fuller picture. It’s like a mini newsletter, packed with clickable links, images, and interactive elements.”
To achieve this, Capsule leverages AI to distill essential information and insights from articles, which are then enhanced by Capsule’s editorial team through additional research. Currently, the company relies on a team of ten freelancers globally, described as “avid readers with a unique perspective.” These curators not only add valuable content but also seed the app with new material, a task that Boé believes “AI doesn’t cut it.”
“We focus solely on the quality and relevance of the content, deliberately avoiding other metrics such as social shares or likes,” adds Boé.
The news curated by Capsule’s team is meticulously verified and presented in a digestible format within the app. On a daily basis, Capsule adds approximately 20 to 30 selected insights, covering major news, emerging trends, and subtle signals of change.
Capsule also employs AI to curate related news stories, offering users a comprehensive reading experience. This approach enhances the “depth and breadth” of their knowledge, according to Boé.
Unlike many contemporary news-sharing apps, Capsule imposes no restrictions on news sources. To date, the app has tapped into over 400 news outlets and continues to expand its network.
As of now, Capsule operates with a lean team of four, bootstrapping its startup. However, the possibility of a freemium model in the future remains under consideration, contingent on Capsule perfecting the user experience and gaining traction in the market, as Boé discloses.
Conclusion:
Capsule’s innovative approach to news curation, blending AI technology and human curation, is poised to disrupt the market. By offering a more comprehensive and personalized news-reading experience, Capsule has the potential to attract a discerning audience seeking quality content. As it expands its network of news sources and fine-tunes its user experience, Capsule could become a formidable player in the digital news landscape, challenging traditional aggregators and redefining how we consume information.
