Vimcal desires be probably the most nifty calendar app on the block • TechCrunch

Y Combinator-backed firm Vimcal thinks creating an occasion takes too many steps within the present crop of calendar apps. So the corporate has made a calendar app that allows you to create and edit occasions in just some steps. Right now, the startup is releasing its iOS app together with integration for Outlook accounts.

The corporate already has internet and desktop shoppers for Home windows and Macs (each Intel and M1), and a Chrome extension for people who like to have a look at their calendars and schedule their occasions on an enormous display. However till now, Vimcal solely supported Google (Google Workspace) accounts.

The group has made it simpler to make use of the calendar by assigning a keyboard shortcut to nearly each motion: from creating an occasion to leaping rapidly between conferences to see what’s arising within the week. It roughly takes three to 5 steps to create an occasion. The calendar additionally has a command middle, which helps you to sort sentences like “Lunch assembly with Lisa at 1 pm tomorrow” to rapidly create an occasion.

Vimcal additionally makes it simpler to offer timeslots for conferences. It presents a extra customizable answer to scheduling software program like Calendly: you possibly can merely drag out there slots throughout the calendar, copy them, and paste it into an e mail. You can too outline fastened timeslots for each week with a function referred to as Private Hyperlinks, which is extra like Calendly.

One of many handiest options of Vimcal is time journey, which simply allows you to examine time zones so you’ll find an acceptable slot for all. And it allows you to add a number of time zones for comparability.

All of those options can be found within the new iOS app, which has been in beta since April. However as a substitute of keyboard shortcuts, they’re optimized for contact interface. The corporate made this app with the assistance of its acquisition of Weve Calendar earlier this summer time. The brand new app additionally allows you to ship a fast e mail from the notification display to ship an e mail to others for those who’re operating a couple of minutes late for a gathering.

Vimcal for iOS is a free app, however if you wish to use the product on the desktop you’ll have to pay $15 per thirty days or $150 per yr. For groups with greater than 5 members, the product prices $120 per yr. The corporate is already engaged on making Vimcal adaptable to enterprise utilization with customizable options.

Each cell and desktop variations permit you to take a look at your teammates’ calendars, making it simpler to choose a time for a gathering throughout time zones.

The corporate’s founder and CEO John Li first launched the product in January 2020 — proper earlier than the pandemic and the rise of distant work. Initially, the corporate onboarded customers with a 30-minute name to present an outline of the product — much like e mail consumer Superhuman — and reply any questions they could have. Li stated that for the primary yr and a half the group onboarded 10,000 customers via calls — a few of them doubled as investor calls. The corporate nonetheless has an possibility for brand new clients to schedule a name with the group whereas making an attempt out the product or buying the subscription.

Vimcal has raised $1.9 million to this point from buyers like Y Combinator, Airbnb co-founder Joe Gebbia, former Twitter CEO Dick Costolo, Teachable founder Ankur Nagpal, and Hustle Fund.

“For the subsequent half yr, we’re concentrating on constructing options for groups. Till now, we had been targeted on making the exterior scheduling and self-scheduling expertise easy. Now, we need to concentrate on inner scheduling for groups and enterprises. We’re additionally constructing apps for iPad and Apple Watch, and later Android,” Li stated on a name with TechCrunch.

The startup, which has a group of 9 folks, additionally launched a product referred to as Vimcal Maestro for government assistants earlier this month.

There may be loads of competitors within the calendar house. There are legacy gamers like Google and Outlook with new gamers like Calendly, Aerotime, Amie, and Magical competing for a slot in your calendar. Li claims that pace and ease of use is Vimcal’s USP.

“We at all times inform our customers that no matter you are able to do in one other calendar app, you are able to do in Vimcal in half the variety of steps or much less. We now have designed our product to be intuitive and quick,” Li stated.

“After we had been making our app, we listed out each keystroke and mouse motion you wanted to make to do the highest 10 issues like creating an occasion in a calendar. After which we checked out that listing and diminished the variety of steps.”