Echobox, the AI for publishers, raises $3.4 million

Echobox, a London-based AI startup targeting the publishing industry, has secured $3.4 million from Mangrove Capital Partners and LocalGlobe.

The startup’s AI service is used by publishers to enhance their reach and distribution on social media. The startup claims its tech can predict if an article will go viral and when the optimal time to publish content is. Axel Springer and Le Monde are among its clients.

“Having worked at a well-known publisher, I was amazed by how they were investing vast resources in trying to perfect the science of content distribution in-house with data scientists and analytics tools to guide decision-making,” said Echobox CEO Antoine Amann. “Not only is it extremely expensive but it’s essentially an impossible task due to the vast and never-ending stream of real-time data.”

Much has been made about how online publishers use or rely on social media to spread stories and generate page views. Facebook most recently threw another spanner in the works by rejigging its news feed again to prioritise friends rather publishers and brands.

“ is a fascinating time for AI and Echobox clearly illustrates this technology can impact society in a very positive way,” added Zoubin Ghahramani, professor at the University of Cambridge and a technical advisor for Echobox. “It’s vital that quality journalism isn’t corrupted by a race for hits.”