During this year’s Summer Games in Rio, one startup from Seattle managed to weave its way into the day-to-day experiences of locals and fans in Rio without relying on traditional media or broadcasting. Instead, fans from around the world used the app to get a glimpse of the summer games up close through 1:1 live streaming via locals on the ground.
The startup, uZoom, is the platform behind a new type of 1:1 experience that’s been described as ‘Uber for video.’ Anyone can request a “zoom” ― live streaming footage from a specific location ― and any localized “zoomer” can respond to the zoom request in their spare time, making a little extra income for the footage they provide.
Throughout the games, as more locals began using the app, the uZoom team noticed that the footage shared with users around the world from Rio took on unique angles. Many locals in Rio struck up conversations with “zoomers” on the other end of the live stream connection, shared tours of their homes in the neighborhoods surrounding the games, and showed off the local beaches. Some locals managed to capture footage from inside Olympic stadiums and events, providing a unique and completely unprecedented look at the games.
“It’s been exciting to watch our users get creative with the app,” says Dean Graziano, CEO and co-founder of uZoom. “All of the energy in Rio opened up new ways of using the platform that we never even imagined.”
Pedro Augusto Leite Costa, Honorary Consulate to Brazil, says: “It’s not surprising that locals in Rio and remote fans quickly adopted the app during the summer games. The games provided the perfect opportunity for locals, known as ‘cariocas,’ to earn side income while the Summer games are hosted in their hometown.”
Jose, based in Rio, says of the app: “I think this can show the beauties of Brazil [...] You can show people places...so they can see for real what’s going on. The media wants to make money, so when something bad happens it sells more news than good news. I think we still need to say more good news about favelas.”
The close of the Games in a host city can often result in an economic repercussion - an outcome that Rio certainly doesn’t need right now. But uZoom hopes to remain in the area as a way for locals to continue earning side income. “uZoom’s part in Rio extends beyond the summer games and takes root in the community itself,” says Kjell Oswald, Chief Impact Officer at uZoom.
As the dust settles from the 2016 Summer Games, major media outlets and corporations vying for a slice of the Rio spotlight are inevitably nowhere to be found ― but summer games or not, people are still “zooming.”