Are.na

Are.na is a "visual organization" tool that enables users to save and share information online.

The platform is currently being used by top companies including Apple, Calvin Klein, Nike, and Dropbox, as well as universities including Yale, MIT, Columbia, and the Rhode Island School of Design.

With Are.na, users can save any type of content: photos, videos, written content, even freehand notes.

The company is initially targeting the 15 million Americans who fall under what’s known as the “creative class.” This includes professionals like designers, developers, artists, and students. If Are.na captured 10% of this sector, the company could generate close to $70 million in annual revenue.

From there, Are.na will target the 230 million “knowledge workers” around the world. These are people whose jobs are to generate and contribute knowledge of a specific subject to the workplace. These include engineers, architects, scientists, and educators. Capturing just 1% of this sector would translate to more than $100 million in annual revenue.

Are.na combines the communication aspect of social media with the focus of a productivity tool.

Unlike social media apps like Facebook, Pinterest, and Instagram, Are.na doesn’t have any advertisements…

And unlike project management platforms like Trello and Zoho, Are.na doesn’t bombard users with notifications or task reminders.

“Are.na is one of those rare social-ish networks that puts ideas, calmness, and thoughtfulness ahead of everything else,” said Willa Koerner, Creative Content Director for Kickstarter global crowdfunding platform.

Here’s how it works:

Users add any content to Are.na’s platform directly from their smart phone or computer. The content is automatically organized into collections called “channels.”

In addition, users can save other people’s content to their own channels and search for specific content already uploaded to the Are.na platform.

Users can decide to keep their channels private, or share their channels with others to collaborate on ideas and projects.

Are.na is offered as a freemium service. With free accounts, users are limited to saving 100 pieces of private content. Access to Premium memberships enables users to save an unlimited amount of content. In addition, Premium users gain access to personalized tech support and the ability to be hidden from search engines.

Premium memberships are $5 per month or $45 per year.

In spring 2018, Are.na plans to launch a team product for small businesses to communicate. This will be similar to Slack’s collaboration messaging service.

Are.na has 40,000 total users, 2,400 of whom are Premium subscribers. In 2017, the company achieved 102% growth in the number of registered users and 370% growth in the number of paid users.

Are.na users spend an average of 10 minutes each time they use the platform. According to Statista, this is significantly more time than users spend on sites like Tumblr (6 minutes), Facebook (5 minutes), and Twitter (3 minutes).

Based on internal forecasts, Are.na projects to generate roughly $160,000 in revenue in 2018.

Team Background

Chris Sherron - Co-Founder & Design Lead

Chris is a former co-founder of K-Hole, a company focused on identifying the latest trends with respect to brands. K-Hole has previously worked with clients including MTV, Coach, Kickstarter, and Stella Artois.

For three years, Sherron worked as a designer at Wolff Olins, a brand consulting company. While there, he assisted notable brands including Google and Univision.

Chris graduated with a Bachelor’s degree in Graphic Design from the Rhode Island School of Design.

Charles Broskoski - Co-Founder & CEO

Charles brings more than a decade’s worth of engineering experience to Are.na.

Prior to starting the company, he served as the Engineering Lead for Artsy, an online platform that connects artists with art collectors.

Broskoski earned a Bachelor’s degree in Design and Technology from the Parsons School of Design.

Daniel Pianetti - Co-Founder & Product Lead

Prior to starting Are.na, Daniel served as a partner with No Plans, a digital company specializing in web design and brand creation.

While there, he helped create custom websites for clients including Sotheby’s, Leonardo DiCaprio Foundation, and Central Saint Martins.

Daniel formerly served as Art Diretor for LOOKK, a platform that connects fashion brands directly to consumers.

Pianetti earned a degree in Graphic Design from ECAL, the Ecole Cantonale d’Art de Lausanne.

Chris Barley - Co-Founder & CMO

Chris formerly founded Consortia, a company specializing in creating business strategies for design- and technology-related companies. While there, he led projects for notable companies including Audi, Microsoft, Harvard University, and Columbia University.

In addition, he formerly served as an assistant professor at Columbia University.

For nearly four years, Barley served as a partner with Therrien-Barley, a company that helps brands develop project ideas.

Chris earned a Bachelor’s degree in Humanities and Arts from Carnegie Mellon University and a Master’s in Architecture from Columbia University.

Damon Zucconi - Co-Founder & CTO

Damon has more than 10 years’ experience in engineering.

Prior to his time with Are.na, Damon served as an engineer with Artsy, an online platform connecting artists with art collectors.

Co-Investors