Introducing Shelf, Social Network with a Focus on Media Consumption

In today’s homogeneous social media landscape where algorithms dictate visibility, Shelf offers a refreshing change by allowing users to create personalized "storefronts" displaying their media habits. Users can now connect based on their preferred movies, shows, books, games, and music, fostering more meaningful interactions. This is prepared by SSP.

Founded by Jad Esber and launched publicly this summer, Shelf lets users track their progress in reading books or watching shows and personalize their digital storefronts. Available on both iOS and Android, the app integrates with Apple Music, Goodreads, Netflix, Spotify, and YouTube, offering a customizable webpage that updates based on media consumption. Koodos Labs, the startup behind Shelf, plans to expand service compatibility, including gaming platforms like Steam.

Shelf is designed to provide a clearer picture of users' tastes and preferences, reflecting an industry shift toward deeper cultural engagement. Esber's background at YouTube, where he supported content creators, and his academic research at Harvard have significantly influenced Shelf’s development. The app’s innovative use of DataMovers technology allows seamless access to media consumption data without utilizing it to train AI, ensuring user data privacy.

The app’s flexibility extends to a private tracking option, enabling users to follow their consumption patterns discreetly. Notably, the platform has grown rapidly, with half a billion items added by users and shelves expanding by 40% month-to-month. Users reportedly check in or update their shelves around five times a week.

Koodos Labs has successfully attracted $7 million in investments from prominent backers like First Round Capital, M13, Blockchain Capital, and IDEO, along with notable business founders and academic advisors.

With its unique approach, Shelf redefines social networking by fostering connections based on genuine cultural interests, making it a significant player in the evolving social media space.