Startup's scanning app ready for on-portal presence

With more than 750,000 downloads of its client application, Silicon Valley startup ScanR is ready to take its scanning application to the mainstream via the operator channel. The company, which is two years old and has 25 employees, has developed a technology that allows a camera phone to be used as a scanner, copier or fax machine. Last year, the company received $4.65 million [1] in funding.

The ScanR application works like this: A user takes a photo with their camera phone, sends it via SMS or MMS to an online imaging service and the service then converts it to a standard PDF file. According to Chris Dury, vice president of marketing at the firm, the proprietary scanning technology is extremely accurate and is gaining traction with consumers.

To provide proof of concept, ScanR has primarily marketed its application through off-portal download sites. But Dury says it also has gained traction virally through user endorsements. One surprising note: ScanR attracts a lot of student and consumer users. In fact, next to business users, Dury says the biggest segment for this application is students.

The company so far has allowed consumers to use its service for free but is in the process of converting its users to the paid model by allowing them to use it five times per month for free. After that, customers are charged $3 per month for unlimited usage.

Drury says the firm is gaining traction with operators and is expecting to announce a handful of operator deals--in the U.S. and Asia--by year's end.

ScanR is one example of the many startups making innovating and extremely practical applications for mobile users. If you think you have a mobile app worth recognizing, send an email to me or Jason Ankeny [2]. We are busy preparing for our FierceMobileContent Mobile Apps awards [3], where we recognize the top 10 innovative mobile applications in 2007. Look for that feature in the Oct. 16 issue. -Sue [4]