The White House’s Zoom: Neat video platform opens its London office following £472m valuation
Neat, the immersive video conferencing software backed by Zoom and used by the US President, has opened a new office in London, as it hits a $640m (£473m) valuation and embraces hybrid working in the UK.
In a recent interview with City A.M, Simen Teigre, chief exec of the Zoom-esque platform, said: “The UK is a huge market for Neat and has always been an important space for video calling”.
Neat devices use smart room sensor technology, which enables video callers to monitor air quality, as well as enhanced audio and video tools placed throughout the room.
He explained that whilst the world is slowly but surely going back to normal, the dependency on video calling remains, and the way we work has been completely shifted.
It comes after Neat announced that Zoom made an additional investment in Neat of $30m (£22m) back in September, reflecting the companies’ shared commitment to deliver tech, bringing the total investment by the tech giant to $41m (£30m).
On the plug of cash, Oded Gal, chief product officer at Zoom, said: “Zoom and Neat have worked closely together to provide customers with an incredible Zoom meeting experience, and this additional investment reflects our belief that Neat’s devices are an outstanding complement to Zoom’s communications platform.”
“We have enjoyed tremendous success with Neat to date, and look forward to continuing to jointly drive innovation and deliver exceptional experiences for our customers.”
Whilst it is not a household name in the UK in same way Zoom is, Neat’s most notable client includes the White House, and it continues to be the go-to video calling platform for US President Joe Biden.
Speaking with City PM, Teigre emphasised the importance of Neat technology in making users feel like they are genuinely connecting with people on video calls.
Launched at Zoomtopia in October 2019, Teigre said on the timing of his company: “I feel like I’m at the right place and right time for any company in the history of the universe.”
Located in Bank, the new London office will host a team of 50 Neat employees, where it is enforcing a hybrid work policy and looking to grow its presence in the UK.