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August 28, 2015
Entrepreneur giving away video editing software to use in classrooms
A Grand Junction entrepreneur who's developed online video editing software that combines powerful features with ease of operation believes his product has a lot to offer in the classroom. And he's inviting educators and students to try it out.
Loopster is giving away 20,000 educational packages valued at a total of $1.5 million.
The Loopster educational packages include a teacher administrative panel and collaborative space for students. The packages offer students tools to create demo videos, voiceover commentary, messages, animation and the ability to slow down or speed up footage. The software allows students to edit video fragments, splice clips together and overlay music and titles. Since Loopster software doesn't need to be downloaded, it can be used from any computer to edit or upload videos. Applications are available for use on iPhones and iPads as well as Android mobile devices.
Baird said that experts predict that by 2017, 75 percent of all Internet use will be video. Putting professional video editing tools into the hands of students will help them succeed in a digital world, he added. "Video is an incredibly important medium. We want to get all students excited about using video to learn and to tell stories.”
http://thebusinesstimes.com/entrepreneur-giving-away-video-editing-software-to-use-in-classrooms/
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August 28, 2015
Entrepreneur giving away video editing software to use in classrooms
Loopster is giving away 20,000 educational packages valued at a total of $1.5 million.
"Video is the future, and we believe it has a critical place in the classroom,” said Bill Baird, chief executive officer and founder of Loopster. "We are giving away these packages to ensure all students have the opportunity to create videos and enhance their education.”
The Loopster educational packages include a teacher administrative panel and collaborative space for students. The packages offer students tools to create demo videos, voiceover commentary, messages, animation and the ability to slow down or speed up footage. The software allows students to edit video fragments, splice clips together and overlay music and titles. Since Loopster software doesn't need to be downloaded, it can be used from any computer to edit or upload videos. Applications are available for use on iPhones and iPads as well as Android mobile devices.
Baird said that experts predict that by 2017, 75 percent of all Internet use will be video. Putting professional video editing tools into the hands of students will help them succeed in a digital world, he added. "Video is an incredibly important medium. We want to get all students excited about using video to learn and to tell stories.”
http://thebusinesstimes.com/entrepreneur-giving-away-video-editing-software-to-use-in-classrooms/

September 23, 2014
Entrepreneur offers schools free use of video-editing software
The first 100 Colorado schools that sign up for the initiative will receive free use of the academic version of Loopster for six months.
"I want to give back," said Bill Baird, founder and chief executive officer of Loopster.
The program is open schools of all types, from the elementary through college levels, Baird said. Schools can sign up by sending an e-mail to support@loopster.com. The schools will receive back a promotional code allowing them to try Loopster for six months at no charge.
Baird has developed and improved software that enables users to upload and edit video footage and post that footage on Facebook, YouTube and other social media sites. The software is available online at www.Loopster.com as well as through iPads and iPhones. Baird expects to soon launch a version of Loopster for Android devices.
Late last year, Baird entered into an arrangement with a mobile application company to help bring Loopster to a bigger market. KiwiTech acquired a share of ownership in the company and provides resources to add features to the software and expand the operation.
A redesigned Web site has attracted a growing number of visitors, a large proportion of which have become customers, Baird said. "It's going fantastic."
While a free version of Loopster remains available, the company also sells subscriptions to use software with additional features, he said.
While an increasing number of people share video content on the Internet for fun, Baird said Loopster can be used in a variety of other ways, including educational purposes. Students can create video presentations on various subjects or document science experiments. What's more, the process can be more enjoyable than other traditional coursework. "It's fun for students to be able to go out and create something," Baird said.
http://thebusinesstimes.com/entrepreneur-offers-schools-free-use-of-video-editing-software

October 16, 2013
Partnership expected to build market for video-editing software
"I think they're a great strategic partner," said Bill Baird, founder and chief executive officer of Loopster.
KiwiTech announced an investment in Loopster, acquiring a share of ownership in the company and providing resources to add features to the software and expand the operation.
"We are pleased to be embarking on this partnership, which allows our team to work closely with Loopster as they build a market-leading video-editing software company, tapping into an exciting mobile opportunity," Rakesh Gupta, CEO of KiwiTech, stated in a news release.
Baird has worked for more than three years to develop and improve software that enables users to upload and edit video footage and post that footage on Facebook, YouTube and other social media sites. He launched a website at www.Loopster.com about a year ago and made the software available to download as an application for iPads, iPhones and iPods earlier this year. He expects to offer an app for Android devices as well.
Baird said the arrangement constitutes the next step in the development of his company in leveraging the technological resources and business expertise of KiwiTech to further improve the product and gain greater exposure.
KiwiTech has developed more than 750 applications and other products for a variety of mobile devices.
Baird said Gupta founded a company called Aptara that became one of the largest digital publishing service companies in the world and was sold in 2012 for $144 million.
One of the first steps in the partnership with KiwiTech, Baird said, will be to revamp the Loopster website, offering a new look to go along with new features.
The Loopster application also will be integrated with Box.com to enable users to store videos with the online file sharing service, Baird said.
More than 20 million users rely on the site, he said.
The focus remains, though, on providing video-editing software with powerful features that create professional-looking videos, but also make the process simple and fun.
Loopster offers a four-track editor for videos and images, transitions, sounds and text. The software makes it easy to trim and combine clips; add music, sound effects or narration; and create text effects. Baird said he has a patent pending on what he describes as a "seamless" slow-motion feature that can be applied to any portion or portions of a video clip.
Now that the software is available as an application, people can use their mobile devices to shoot video and then edit and share the footage, he said.
While a growing number of people share video content on the Internet for fun, Loopster has developed a following in the real estate, education and sports markets, Baird said. Real estate professionals make videos of their listings to show to prospective buyers. Teachers and students use video to create classroom presentations and homework projects. Videos also offer a way to analyze athletic performance for teams and individuals. In addition to other resources, Baird said the arrangement with KiwiTech also will help in developing revenue streams for Loopster.
While the software is available for use on the website and to download for free, Baird expects to starting charging fees once the website and software have been updated. Other fees could apply for video storage or additional features.
That evolution is typical for software, he said, in that services or products are offered for free to test a concept. Afterwards, a purchase or fee is required. "We wanted to prove our concept, and we've done it."
Even with a fee, Loopster will be far less expensive than other video-editing software that costs hundreds or even thousands of dollars, Baird said. "I think we're going to be very competitive in that space."
http://thebusinesstimes.com/partnership-expected-to-build-market-for-video-editing-software/

August 1, 2013
Tech startup brings video editing software to mobile devices
A slow-motion effect turns a quick flip turn in the pool into a detailed analysis of the maneuver. Another feature adds dramatic music to images of lightning flashing across a night sky.
"Pretty cool, right?" Baird asks after the demonstration.
The question is rhetorical for the Grand Junction entrepreneur who has developed video editing software that offers all the tools of a high-tech studio not only on desktop and laptop computers, but now on such mobile devices as iPads and iPhones. "I'm putting a studio in people's hands," he said.
Recognizing the growing number of mobile devices equipped with video cameras and increasing popularity of viewing videos on tablets and smart phones, Baird has high hopes for his venture. "Video is the future. It's not going away."
Baird is chief executive officer and founder of Loopster. The technology startup company offers free online software that enables users to upload and edit video footage and then post that footage on Facebook, YouTube and other social media sites.
Loopster recently made the software available to download as an application for iPads, iPhones and iPods. Baird said he hopes to soon offer an application for Android devices as well.
Tapping his education and experience in computer information systems management, Baird has worked three years to develop and improve his software. He launched a website at www.Loopster.com about a year ago and released his newest technology for iPads, iPhones and iPods just weeks ago.
The video editing software offered on Loopster.com and available as apps offers advantages over other software, Baird said — starting with the fact it's free to use.
The online software on the website doesn't have to be downloaded, meaning users can access their accounts and use the software from computers anywhere in the world. The software also offers the ability to export videos onto Facebook, YouTube and other sites with a single click of a mouse.
One of the biggest advantages, though, is the software offers more features than other software, yet remains easier to use, Baird said.
"We just blow them out of the water in terms of being feature-rich."
Both the online software and applications offer a four-track editor for videos and images, transitions, sounds and text. The software makes it easy to trim and combine clips; add music, sound effects or narration; and create speech bubbles or other text effects.
Baird said he has a patent pending on what he describes as a "seamless"
slow-motion feature that can be applied to any portion or portions of a video clip. The ultimate goal, Baird said, is to offer powerful editing tools that create professional looking videos, but also make the process simple and fun.
Now that the software is available for mobile devices, people can use the devices to shoot videos and then quickly edit and share their videos, he said.
In addition to shooting video of families and friends, Baird envisions a far wider range of uses for his software. Real estate professionals, for example, can make videos of their listings to show to prospective buyers. Given the increasing use of iPads in schools, Baird also foresees the use of his video editing software to create classroom presentations as well as homework projects.
Baird has yet to develop revenue streams for his company, but has considered the possibility of eventually charging for downloads or premium features. The potential market, he said, is huge.
Meanwhile, visits to the Loopster website and application downloads have been steadily increasing even without any investment in customer acquisition, he said. "I put a good product out there. How do I know that? People are using it."
And that, he added, is pretty cool.
http://thebusinesstimes.com/tech-startup-brings-video-editing-software-to-mobile-devices/

September 7, 2012
Loopster announces contest winner
Loopster awarded the $1,000 grand prize to 12-year-old Ellie Taylor for her video, "The Dog Vlog."
"She did a day in the life of her dog, Missy," said Taylor’s mother, Rebecca.
Taylor learned of the video contest from an article that ran Aug. 9 in The Daily Sentinel and GJSentinel.com.
She became determined to enter the contest, spending most of that day filming Missy’s antics on a small Sony point-and-shoot camera.
Learning to use Loopster was easy for Taylor. "She really went through it with a fine tooth comb," Rebecca said.
Taylor was so excited when Baird announced that she was the winner. "She has dreams of buying a MacBook but she wants to save for a car too," her mother said.
"It’s really the easiest thousand bucks you could make," Baird said.
The decision wasn’t easy and Baird awarded prizes to two runners-up as well. The 2nd place winner, Scottjoker123, won $200 for the movie, "The Frankenstein Monster."
The 3rd place winner, missv0529, received $100, for the movie "Spider vs Mikey."
Loopster is marketed as the "world’s easiest online video editing site," and has an interface between Facebook, YouTube, and Twitter, making sharing video easier than ever.
Baird, a Grand Junction resident, previously worked in the oil and gas industry. He studied information system management and earned a degree from Colorado Christian College. The idea for Loopster came to him when he realized there was not any easy ways to upload video to social media sites.
Loopster.com kicked-off with an unveiling of a Loopster custom trike at the Gateway Canyons Resort July 1. The bike was designed by Paul Jr. Designs and was recently seen on the David Letterman show.
The event will air on American Chopper September 17 and 24 on the Discovery Channel.
http://www.gjsentinel.com/news/articles/loopster-announces-contest-winner/

August 9, 2012
Win easy cash at Loopster.com
"Just move the editing bar to the right," said Bill Baird, CEO and founder of the internet video editing company, "Move this bar to the left, and .... dink."
Just like that.
Loopster is marketed as the "world’s easiest online video editing site." Not only that, it has a cool interface between Facebook, YouTube, and Twitter, making sharing video easier than ever.
"So, what else is cool about Loopster is you can set permissions so that friends, family or the public can take your video and add it to their own," Baird said, "Or you can make it private too."
There’s a way to make a video profile for the site or do video status updates directly to Facebook.
There’s no software to download and people can access their accounts from anywhere in the world, Baird said.
Best of all, it’s free.
"Loopster is aimed at the 95 percent of people who don’t use any video software but want to," he said.
Baird and his partner, Nate Olech, launched Loopster on July 1 at Gateway Canyons Resort.
"I’m from here so I wanted to keep it local," Baird said.
As part of the launch, Paul Jr. Designs built a roadster-style trike to represent the company which included yellow and black flames and wheels that look like film reels. The making of the bike and the launching event were filmed for "American Chopper" which will air Discovery Channel Sept. 10 and 17.
In just over a month, Loopster has acquired over 300 users, many of whom have never editing video before.
To boost membership, Baird is hosting the Loopster Lifestyle Video Contest. The grand prize — a grand!
"It’s the easiest $1,000 you’ll ever make," Baird said.
Getting started is easy. Just film video using your phone, digital camera or FlipCam of any subject matter including family, kids, or extreme sports. Go to Loopster.com to create an account. Choose Upload Media to grab your software from your computer, then use the easy video editor to create a movie. The top 10 most "like" videos will be judged on Sept. 1.
Baird, a Grand Junction resident, previously worked in the oil and gas industry. He studied information system management and earned a degree from Colorado Christian College. The idea for Loopster came to him when he realized there was not any easy ways to upload video to social media sites.
"I wanted to create that interface,’ he said.
He’s spent the last two years working with a variety of companies creating the website. He’s hoping his site goes big by reshaping how people use video on their social networking site.
"Now it’s just a matter of getting people to try it," he said.
http://www.gjsentinel.com/news/articles/loop

June 26, 2012
Entrepreneur launches video editing startup
Bill Baird is president, chief executive officer and founder of Loopster.
His Web site, located at www.loopster.com, offers free online software that allows users to edit raw video footage and post that footage on Facebook, You Tube and other sites. Given the growing number of people who post video content on the Internet, Baird expects Loopster.com to become a popular site. "I would think so."
Taping his education and experience in computer information systems management, Baird has worked nearly two years to develop his idea.
The video editing software offered on Loopster.com offers several advantages over other software, Baird said, starting with the fact it's free to use. Moreover, users don't have to download the software onto their computers. That means users can access their accounts and use the software from computers anywhere in the world. Best of all, the software is easy to use, Baird said. "It's really simple to use." A tutorial on the Web site helps users get started.
A wide variety of free sound effects are available on the Web site. It's also easy to turn photographs into video slideshows, he said.
Users are encouraged to post their edited videos on the site as well as share raw footage that can be incorporated into other videos.
Baird said he remains committed to offering his video editing software for free, but also expects to develop revenue streams for his company over the next three to six months. One possibility, he said, could be the development and sale of a version of the software for professional use.
http://thebusinesstimes.com/entrepreneur-launches-video-editing-startup/