ai: Pool’s new app turns your screenshots into something useful

A new AI-powered application called Pool has launched on iOS, aiming to transform the often-cluttered camera roll into a highly organized and actionable digital archive. Developed by co-founders Maxime Junique and Piet Terheyden, Pool addresses the common problem of screenshotting information — such as recipes, product recommendations, or travel ideas — only to forget about it or be unable to locate it later. The app leverages artificial intelligence to categorize these visual snippets, trace their original sources, and help users rediscover and engage with their saved content.

Solving the Digital Clutter Conundrum

For many smartphone users, the camera roll serves a dual purpose: a repository for cherished memories and an ad hoc storage system for a myriad of online finds. This often results in a disorganized collection of screenshots that, despite their initial intent, become lost in a sea of images. Junique notes that this behavior is so natural, people often don't even realize they're doing it, or the subsequent difficulty it creates in recalling the information.

Pool directly tackles this issue by requesting access to a user's photos and then intelligently sorting screenshots into personalized "pools" or categories. These categories are dynamically generated based on the specific products, places, or interests a user has captured over time, making the organization highly tailored.

AI-Powered Rediscovery and Action

What sets Pool apart in the evolving landscape of bookmarking apps — alongside competitors like mymind, Fabric, and Raindrop — is its dedicated focus on screenshots and its sophisticated use of AI. Once a screenshot is imported, Pool's AI agents work to identify and track down the original link or source associated with the image. This means a screenshot of a product can link directly to the retailer's website, or a recipe captured from social media can provide immediate access to ingredients and instructions.

Beyond simple categorization, Pool's AI treats screenshots like dynamic memories, understanding their temporal relevance. For instance, a screenshot of an event ticket barcode might automatically disappear after the event concludes. Conversely, a flyer for an upcoming event could prompt Pool's AI to assist in finding ticket purchase locations and provide direct links to ticketing sites, transitioning passive information into actionable steps.

Users can interact with Pool by employing a search function or by directly asking its built-in AI assistant for help, facilitating quick retrieval of specific information or inspiration.

From Van Life to Venture Capital: Pool's Journey

The concept for Pool originated approximately three years ago as the inaugural product from Spinoff Studio, founded by Junique and Terheyden. The initial version was developed rapidly while the founders lived in a van in Lisbon. However, the project was temporarily shelved as they pivoted to focus on B2B SaaS solutions, ultimately building and selling the CRM software Waitless.

Pool's revival was spurred by the significant advancements in artificial intelligence. The founders recognized that AI's maturation made their core idea of making sense of personal, unstructured datasets finally feasible. Junique highlighted the unique opportunity, stating that while many AI applications target "productivity-first datasets" like emails or chat logs, screenshots represent a "deeply emotional dataset we all own" that remains largely unexplored.

The Road Ahead: Agentic AI and Funding

Looking to the future, the founders are planning a second, distinct app designed to function as a personal AI assistant. Pool's charming rubber duck mascot, which users currently interact with to enter the app, is slated to become a central part of the branding for this forthcoming "agentic AI app."

Pool recently secured a pre-seed funding round exceeding $2 million. Key investors include General Catalyst, Kima Ventures, and Paris-based Source Ventures, along with angel investors such as Winston Du, Julian Blessin, and Thomas Ricouard. The founders, who were recently in Lisbon, are currently in San Francisco to meet with additional investors, signaling further expansion plans.

Pool is available for free download on iOS, offering users an innovative solution to manage their digital lives and transform forgotten screenshots into valuable resources.

FAQ

Q: What is Pool? A: Pool is a new AI-powered iOS app that helps users organize their phone's screenshots into personalized categories, automatically links them to their original online sources, and enables users to easily rediscover and act on saved content like recipes, product ideas, or travel inspiration.

Q: How does Pool use AI? A: Pool's AI categorizes screenshots into dynamic "pools" specific to the user, tracks down the original web links associated with each image, and treats screenshots like memories, understanding their relevance over time (e.g., event tickets expiring). It also offers an AI assistant for search and proactive actions, like finding tickets for an event from a screenshot.

Q: Is Pool available on Android? A: Currently, Pool is available as a free download exclusively on iOS devices. The source content does not mention plans for an Android version at this time.