Sunrise calendar was perhaps the most loved calendar application that has ever existed. Even today, I get comments from consumers who tell me how much they miss the product and never found anything else quite like it. Pierre, Jeremy, and their team took a boring but essential utility and made it a true delight, through excellent design, innovative features, and market leading speed.
Although the Sunrise acquisition was an outstanding outcome for everyone involved, I always felt regret that our time working together came to an end so soon. This was one reason why we feel privileged to be investors with Pierre again in his new company Jumbo.
Jumbo is dedicated to addressing the problem of personal data privacy in an increasingly digital world. Beginning first with the major social and consumer platforms, Jumbo is looking to be an advocate for consumers as they engage with the largest, most ubiquitous services like Google, Twitter, FB/Instagram, Tinder, and others. As the public outrage has skyrocketed around digital privacy and safety, these companies have made big public claims about how seriously they are taking these problems and the steps they intend to take. But these businesses are fundamentally misaligned with consumers, given that their business models and profitability are so closely linked to the level with which they are able to leverage our data to serve advertisers or drive us to make more purchases.
Jumbo is the first product to really advocate for the end users in this modern privacy mess. The team is just getting started, but you can download the app here and be on your way towards regaining control of your data. You can also read some great coverage of their launch on The Verge and on Techcrunch.
