Social media giant Facebook has recently added a new technology innovator into their mix with the acquisition of “Redkix” a unified communications startup that combines email, calendar and messaging features into a single app. As other collaboration providers like Slack, Microsoft, and even Cisco continue to work on their offerings, the purchase of Redkix should help Facebook to become more competitive in the communication space.
Although Redkix is only a small company compared to the likes of Facebook – it’s one with serious potential. The organisation launched in 2016 with a $17 million seed round prompted by the promise of streamlined collaboration. Redkix offers a tool that allows people to combine their collaboration systems – like Workplace by Facebook – with email and calendaring. You could also collaborate in Redkix yourself or participate by email if you weren’t a registered user.
Kickstarting New Communication Opportunities
Facebook has acquired both the Redkix technology and the company’s talent to integrate into their Workplace offering. This means that various Redkix employees, including brothers and cofounders Oudi Antebi and Roy Antebi, will be joining the Workplace team. The Redkix app will be shutting down, but hopefully, we’ll continue to see the innovation of the Redkix group inside of Workplace.
Since the company launched, its focus has been on delivering better, more streamlined conversations in the workplace. Customers have used the Redkix application as a mission control application, ensuring that their business has less noise to contend with when it comes to keeping people together.
According to the announcement from Redkix, their enterprise application was launched with “a vision of an inclusive single-pane-of-glass platform for the workplace”. Instead of trying to eliminate email from the communication stack, Redkix embraced it as a natural part of workplace conversation and set about eliminating the silos in the modern workforce.
Responding to the Facebook Acquisitions
Interestingly, one of the very first investors to put their cash into Redkix was a Facebook executive – David Marcus. Now, both companies have clearly seen the natural affinities in their projects. As Redkix noted in their announcement, Workplace by Facebook is all about bringing people together and making them more productive. This vision of greater efficiency and stronger alignment within the workforce is something that’s close to the hearts of Redkix’ founders too.
In an announcement regarding the acquisition, Redkix noted that they are thankful to their team, partners, and customers for all the support they’ve given so far, and they’re proud of what they’ve accomplished with their communication services. Redkix is looking forward to a bright future with Workplace, and it seems that Facebook feels the same way.
Facebook announced that they’re thrilled to add Redkix to their Workplace team as they continue to look for new ways to connect people and improve collaboration among the modern workforce.
