Sequoia-backed Bento desires be greater than a link-in-bio instrument for creators • TechCrunch

There are as many link-in-bio instruments accessible for creators because the variety of hyperlinks they usually show on their pages. However there’s yet one more addition to it. Sequoia-backed startup Bento is launching its instrument to let customers show their work in a chic means throughout each desktop and cell.

Bento, which has been underneath closed beta for the previous couple of months, is now accepting all customers. At the moment, the location gives well-designed pages with choices to resize and reorganize widgets simply. The great factor is that you simply simply have so as to add hyperlinks to completely different pages, and the location will generate a wealthy preview for you. That makes it simpler for individuals to spotlight particular elements of their work other than linking to a generic web page like a LinkedIn profile.

Picture Credit: Bento

The startup says that whereas hyperlink era options can be found on different link-in-bio platforms, it has made it simpler so as to add hyperlinks and transfer round widgets even on cell. Customers may use the desktop website to edit their cell structure.

The positioning gives some customization to hyperlink previews like exhibiting the final three jobs from the LinkedIn profile, the previous couple of images from Instagram, and the newest GitHub tasks.

Bento’s long-term plan is to let individuals devour content material on these pages. For example, sooner or later, customers visiting a web page will be capable of play a YouTube video with out leaving the location. For the time being, if creators need to present a video on their Bento web page, they’ll add a file on the location as a substitute of a hyperlink.

The concept behind the product

Zurich-based Bento is based by Sélim Benayat and Mugeeb Hassan. Benayat beforehand constructed RosieReality, a startup engaged on augmented actuality tech, and Hassan was the corporate’s first rent. The AR firm was acquired in 2020, however the founders didn’t say by whom.

Benayat and Hassan began constructing Bento in Could 2022 to assist creators who need to make a dwelling on-line by serving to them perceive and develop their viewers.

“Mugeeb and I consider in an upcoming generational shift in how we work. Away from working at large firms and extra in direction of launching inventive companies and private manufacturers. With Bento, we need to assist this shift. We really feel strongly about empowering the inventive and the courageous to enterprise out and construct their very own enterprise,” Benayat mentioned in a dialog with TechCrunch.

Picture Credit: Bento/Nayella

The co-founders consider that a variety of instruments out there simply act as routers to different platforms. They need Bento to be a “vacation spot” for creators the place they’ll host their work, develop their viewers and earn cash as effectively.

Benayat mentioned link-in-bio instruments typically simply redirect customers to different platforms, the place creators may not personal instruments for distribution or monetization.

“The reason being that social platforms concentrate on CTRs on adverts, reasonably than serving to makers maximize the worth extracted per follower. There are massively misaligned incentives. Makers don’t personal their viewers nor the pipes to interact with them. All is mitigated by algorithms optimizing for platform-wide engagement,” he mentioned.

The corporate

The startup has raised $1.6 million in a pre-seed spherical led by Sequoia Arc together with participation from NextBlue and Gaingels Community.

Bento has a ton of competitors within the link-in-bio instruments house. Linktree is already a large in house. Final yr, the Australia-based startup turned a unicorn with its $110 million Sequence C funding.

Different opponents embrace a16z-backed Beacon and CRV and Crossfeed Ventures-backed Snipfeed. Facetune app fame Israel-based firm Lightricks and reside streaming startup Streamlabs have additionally launched their link-in-bio instruments. When you assume this listing isn’t sufficient there’s Shorby, Milkshake, Faucet.bio, lnk.bio, Hyperlink in Profile, bio.fm, and Campsite. So a reasonably packed house total.

The important thing differentiation could be how Bento permits customers to earn cash out of their pages. The corporate desires to begin this course of by introducing widgets for donation acceptance — which is launching this week —and product choices. To start with, Bento gained’t take a reduce from these donations.

“The pondering is – if we assist Bento-owners extra effectively transact and promote on Bento, we consider it’s truthful to take part in that success. It aligns the incentives of the customers and us,” Benayat mentioned.

Within the coming months, other than enabling monetization choices for creators, Bento desires to begin rolling out options that can assist them construct a group.