Visualping Raises $2 Million for Website Change Monitoring

The Genesis of Visualping: From Acquisition Scare to Web Monitoring Service

Several years ago, Serge Salager, a Vancouver-based entrepreneur who successfully led a company through an initial public offering on the Toronto Stock Exchange, encountered interest from a prospective buyer with substantial financial resources. Feeling both honored and apprehensive about potential competing offers, Salager began a diligent search of the internet. He sought information regarding other companies that might be considered for acquisition, focusing on alterations to their pricing, features, and employment opportunities.

A Rival Acquired, and an Idea Born

Salager’s caution proved justified as the buyer ultimately acquired a competitor. However, this outcome sparked a new entrepreneurial venture for Salager – the creation of a superior service dedicated to tracking changes across the web, surpassing anything currently available.

Introducing Visualping: Monitoring the Internet for Updates

This led to the development of Visualping, a freemium service now six years old, with a team of 16 individuals. The platform monitors the entire internet for alterations and has attracted a user base of 1.5 million. A portion of these users subscribe to a monthly plan, the cost of which is determined by the number of web pages and keywords they are tracking. (Basic monitoring with two daily searches is offered for free, while comprehensive tracking of 660 searches per day is available for $100 monthly.)

Diverse Applications Across Industries

Journalists find the service invaluable for monitoring individuals and organizations they cover. Law firms utilize it to remain current on evolving regulations and other pertinent information. Even employees at Apple leverage Visualping to track discussions and mentions of the company.

Simple Operation and Broad Utility

The versatility of Visualping is a significant advantage, as is its user-friendly design. Users simply provide a screenshot of the desired webpage or a specific section, along with relevant keywords. Visualping then promptly notifies them via email whenever changes occur on the site or when the specified keywords appear.

Pandemic-Driven Growth and Future Development

Visualping, which offers a browser extension and plans to launch a mobile app this summer, has also experienced growth due to the recent pandemic. Instead of constantly refreshing websites like Rite Aid and CVS, individuals have increasingly turned to Visualping to monitor the availability of COVID-19 vaccinations, following coverage in publications such as the WSJ, CNBC, and Fox News.

Leveraging Machine Learning for Smarter Alerts

Like other data-driven companies, Visualping is continually enhancing its capabilities through the application of machine learning. Salager emphasizes that the system is designed to avoid unnecessary alerts, such as those triggered by changes in banner advertisements. Furthermore, when tracking significant price fluctuations, Visualping can delay notifications until the change reaches a predefined threshold.

Data Privacy and Compliance

Addressing concerns regarding data privacy, Salager affirms that Visualping fully adheres to GDPR, the European Union’s data protection and privacy regulation. While the company may eventually explore targeted advertising based on user search preferences, similar to Google, its current focus is on developing new enterprise-level products, responding to growing interest from corporate clients.

Securing Seed Funding for Expansion

Salager publicly revealed that Visualping secured $2 million in seed funding in December. The investment came from Mistral Ventures, a Canadian fund, N49P, and an AngelList syndicate. This capital, combined with existing revenue streams, is projected to sustain the startup for the next two years.

Potential Exit Strategies: IPO or Acquisition?

When questioned about future possibilities, Salager openly discussed potential exit strategies. He envisions a scenario where Visualping could become a publicly traded company. Alternatively, he suggests that an acquisition by a larger entity, such as Google, could be a viable option. “We believe we fit very well with Google Alerts, so maybe an exit to Google is something we try to do, too,” he stated.