The Filter
Encyclopedia
The Filter is a company providing a recommendation engine for providers of digital content. Founded in 2004, it has ties to musician Peter Gabriel
and is based in Bath, UK.
and software entrepreneur Martin Hopkins. Gabriel foresaw that the growth of digital technologies would lead to such large volume of content becoming available that users would need filters to help them find what was relevant to them. In 2004 he was introduced to Hopkins, who had written a piece of software to manage his extensive music collection. The software learned tastes and preferences and utilised artificial intelligence
to generate playlists and recommendations. With investment from the founders and from venture capital firm Eden Ventures, they launched Exabre in 2004, and promoted The Filter as a site providing music and movie recommendations directly to consumers.
Although the venture was successful, reaching an average of 800,000 unique visitors per month, in 2009 The Filter modified its business model to licensing the recommendation engine to other businesses. To date, this strategy has proved successful, and the company has secured large contracts, particularly in the US.
was appointed as CEO in 2007, after working in strategic consultancy and as Digital Director at Future PLC.
Peter Gabriel
has been involved in various media, music and technology businesses since 1987, when he founded the Real World Group, comprising Real World Studios
, Real World Records
, and later Real World Multi Media and Real World Films. In 2000, he was co-founder and board member of OD2
(On Demand Distribution), which became the leading European platform provider for the distribution of online music (acquired in 2004 by Loudeye of Seattle, Washington). In 2005, he acquired Solid State Logic
with David Engelke
. Gabriel remains an advisor and investor at The Filter.
Charles Grimsdale is a Partner and co-founder of venture capital firm Eden Ventures, and Non Executive Director at The Filter. Dr Douglas Merrill
is the former Chief Information Officer and Vice President of Engineering of Google Inc, where he was responsible for the 2006 launch of Google Checkout
. He joined The Filter’s board as an advisor in 2010.
, Dailymotion
,
NBC
.com, Warner Brothers, Vudu,DVDPost.be,Fuhu, we7
, and Sony Music.
) as a finalist for its Mobile Music App of the year award. This app utilises The Filter's technology to learn music tastes and recommend the best and most relevant live events happening near the user.
In 2009 The Filter was selected by the UKTI (UK Trade and Investment) for its prestigious Digital Mission to SXSW in Austin, Texas. The CEO was also a panelist for the Collaborative Filtering panel hosted by Digg's Anton Kast.
The company's continued success in building partnerships in the US was rewarded with selection for the Web 2.0 Digital Mission to New York in November.
The Filter was a recipient of the Red Herring
100 Europe 2008 - awarded to the best European tech start-ups, and were also selected to partake in Webmission08. Webmission is a UK initiative backed by Techcrunch
, Bebo
, Sun Microsystems
and Oracle Corporation
(among others) that aims to bring the 20 most innovative tech companies that are "ready to do business in the US or potentially attract a US investor."
The Filter has been awarded the OnHollywood 100 Most Disruptive Companies award, and is the only European start-up to receive this prize. The Filter was also chosen as one of only six finalists from over 600 entries in the Popkomm Innovation in Music Awards in October 2008.
La Times
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Peter Gabriel
Peter Brian Gabriel is an English singer, musician, and songwriter who rose to fame as the lead vocalist and flautist of the progressive rock group Genesis. After leaving Genesis, Gabriel went on to a successful solo career...
and is based in Bath, UK.
History
The idea behind The Filter was devised by musician and digital pioneer Peter GabrielPeter Gabriel
Peter Brian Gabriel is an English singer, musician, and songwriter who rose to fame as the lead vocalist and flautist of the progressive rock group Genesis. After leaving Genesis, Gabriel went on to a successful solo career...
and software entrepreneur Martin Hopkins. Gabriel foresaw that the growth of digital technologies would lead to such large volume of content becoming available that users would need filters to help them find what was relevant to them. In 2004 he was introduced to Hopkins, who had written a piece of software to manage his extensive music collection. The software learned tastes and preferences and utilised artificial intelligence
Artificial intelligence
Artificial intelligence is the intelligence of machines and the branch of computer science that aims to create it. AI textbooks define the field as "the study and design of intelligent agents" where an intelligent agent is a system that perceives its environment and takes actions that maximize its...
to generate playlists and recommendations. With investment from the founders and from venture capital firm Eden Ventures, they launched Exabre in 2004, and promoted The Filter as a site providing music and movie recommendations directly to consumers.
Although the venture was successful, reaching an average of 800,000 unique visitors per month, in 2009 The Filter modified its business model to licensing the recommendation engine to other businesses. To date, this strategy has proved successful, and the company has secured large contracts, particularly in the US.
Executives and Board of Directors
Founder Martin Hopkins developed The Filter’s recommendation engine with original team member Jon Hobley and remains in the post of Chief Technology Officer. Co-founder Rhett Ryder left Exabre in 2006 to work at PowerOasis, returning in 2010 to his current post of Chief Operating Officer when it shifted its strategy from B2C (Business to Consumer) to B2B (Business to Business). David Maher RobertsDavid Maher Roberts
David Maher Roberts is CEO at The Filter, a Bath-based technology company that provides recommendations for digital content providers. David led the company’s turnaround from a music playlist app to a SaaS provider whose clients include NBC Universal, Nokia and Dailymotion...
was appointed as CEO in 2007, after working in strategic consultancy and as Digital Director at Future PLC.
Peter Gabriel
Peter Gabriel
Peter Brian Gabriel is an English singer, musician, and songwriter who rose to fame as the lead vocalist and flautist of the progressive rock group Genesis. After leaving Genesis, Gabriel went on to a successful solo career...
has been involved in various media, music and technology businesses since 1987, when he founded the Real World Group, comprising Real World Studios
Real World Studios
Real World Studios is a residential recording studio in Box, Wiltshire, England associated with the Real World Records Ltd. record label founded by rock musician Peter Gabriel...
, Real World Records
Real World Records
Real World Records is a record label started in 1989 by Peter Gabriel to record and produce world music.-Overview:The label grew up alongside the success of the WOMAD festivals and Peter Gabriel's exploration of music from other cultures, and helped push world music into the general public's...
, and later Real World Multi Media and Real World Films. In 2000, he was co-founder and board member of OD2
OD2
On Demand Distribution , one of the first online music download services, was co-founded by entrepreneur Charles Grimsdale and musician Peter Gabriel in 1999...
(On Demand Distribution), which became the leading European platform provider for the distribution of online music (acquired in 2004 by Loudeye of Seattle, Washington). In 2005, he acquired Solid State Logic
Solid State Logic
Solid State Logic is a manufacturer of high-end mixing consoles and recording studio hardware headquartered in Begbroke, Oxfordshire, UK.- Company information :...
with David Engelke
David Engelke
David Engelke is an entertainment entrepreneur who purchased an audio manufacturing company called Solid State Logic in cooperation with musician Peter Gabriel in 2005. He helped develop technologies that won three technical Emmys and a technical Oscar Award....
. Gabriel remains an advisor and investor at The Filter.
Charles Grimsdale is a Partner and co-founder of venture capital firm Eden Ventures, and Non Executive Director at The Filter. Dr Douglas Merrill
Douglas Merrill
Douglas Merrill is the CEO and founder of , a financial services technology company that provides credit alternatives for the underbanked. ZestCash announced a $19 million round of Series A funding in July 2011 and was one of Forbes’ Names You Need to Know in 2011...
is the former Chief Information Officer and Vice President of Engineering of Google Inc, where he was responsible for the 2006 launch of Google Checkout
Google Checkout
Google Checkout is an online payment processing service provided by Google aimed at simplifying the process of paying for online purchases. Users store their credit or debit card and shipping information in their Google Account, so that they can purchase at participating stores by clicking an...
. He joined The Filter’s board as an advisor in 2010.
Clients
Since 2009, The Filter has secured contracts tailoring its relevance platform for a number of digital content providers such as NokiaNokia
Nokia Corporation is a Finnish multinational communications corporation that is headquartered in Keilaniemi, Espoo, a city neighbouring Finland's capital Helsinki...
, Dailymotion
Dailymotion
Dailymotion is a video sharing service website, headquartered in the 18th arrondissement, Paris, France. According to Comscore, Dailymotion is the second largest video site in the world after YouTube....
,
NBC
NBC
The National Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network and former radio network headquartered in the GE Building in New York City's Rockefeller Center with additional major offices near Los Angeles and in Chicago...
.com, Warner Brothers, Vudu,DVDPost.be,Fuhu, we7
We7
we7 is a free, advertising supported, music streaming service, with over 6.8 million tracks available for streaming in the UK and Ireland, with content from all four major record labels, and most independent labels and distributors. Most tracks and albums are also available to purchase from the...
, and Sony Music.
Awards
In May 2011 Music Week Magazine nominated the Nokia Gig Finder app (developed by OviOvi (Nokia)
Ovi by Nokia is the brand for Nokia's Internet services. The Ovi services can be used from a mobile device, computer or via the web. Nokia focuses on five key service areas: Games, Maps, Media, Messaging and Music. Nokia's aim with Ovi is to include third party developers, such as operators and...
) as a finalist for its Mobile Music App of the year award. This app utilises The Filter's technology to learn music tastes and recommend the best and most relevant live events happening near the user.
In 2009 The Filter was selected by the UKTI (UK Trade and Investment) for its prestigious Digital Mission to SXSW in Austin, Texas. The CEO was also a panelist for the Collaborative Filtering panel hosted by Digg's Anton Kast.
The company's continued success in building partnerships in the US was rewarded with selection for the Web 2.0 Digital Mission to New York in November.
The Filter was a recipient of the Red Herring
Red herring
A red herring is a deliberate attempt to divert attention.Red herring may refer to:* Red herring , the informal fallacy of presenting an argument that may in itself be valid, but does not address the issue in question....
100 Europe 2008 - awarded to the best European tech start-ups, and were also selected to partake in Webmission08. Webmission is a UK initiative backed by Techcrunch
TechCrunch
TechCrunch is a web publication that offers technology news and analysis, as well as profiling of startup companies, products, and websites. It was founded by Michael Arrington in 2005, and was first published on June 11, 2005....
, Bebo
Bebo
Bebo is a social networking website launched in July 2005. It is currently owned and operated by Criterion Capital Partners after taking over from AOL in June 2010....
, Sun Microsystems
Sun Microsystems
Sun Microsystems, Inc. was a company that sold :computers, computer components, :computer software, and :information technology services. Sun was founded on February 24, 1982...
and Oracle Corporation
Oracle Corporation
Oracle Corporation is an American multinational computer technology corporation that specializes in developing and marketing hardware systems and enterprise software products – particularly database management systems...
(among others) that aims to bring the 20 most innovative tech companies that are "ready to do business in the US or potentially attract a US investor."
The Filter has been awarded the OnHollywood 100 Most Disruptive Companies award, and is the only European start-up to receive this prize. The Filter was also chosen as one of only six finalists from over 600 entries in the Popkomm Innovation in Music Awards in October 2008.
Press Coverage
The GuardianLa Times
Business Week
GigaOm
The BBC
Washington Post
USA Today
TechCrunch