Slack is a cloud-based collaboration tool that provides a searchable log of all conversations and knowledge sharing to better connect teams. It started in 2009 as Tiny Speck developing an internal communication tool called Glitch, which later became Slack after officially releasing in 2014. Slack has since grown tremendously, reaching an $8 billion valuation with over 8 million daily users as it competes with collaboration tools from Microsoft, Facebook, and Google while preparing for an upcoming public listing.

1. By: Matt Kong (mattkong)

2. What is Slack?
▰ Searchable Log of All
Conversation and Knowledge
▰ A cloud-based collaboration tool to
better connect and engage your
team

3. Persona: Michael Scott
▰ Issues with desktop clutter
▰ Trouble keeping teams in sync
▰ Lots of workflow apps
▰ All about teamwork

4. Solution: Slack!

5. Finances: Funding

6. Finances: User Growth
▰ $221M 2017
▰ Estimated $389M 2018
▰ Projected $640M 2019

7. Business Model

8. History of Slack
2009
MARCH
Stewart Butterfield creates Tiny
Speck
Development starts on Glitch
2012
NOVEMBER
Glitch shuts down
DECEMBER
Tiny Speck pivots to develop its
internal communications tool
Linefeed
2014
FEBRUARY
Slack officially releases for
desktop, iOS, and Android
AUGUST
Tiny Speck officially becomes
Slack Technologies
2015
FEBRUARY
Slack’s central database is
compromised
MARCH
Slack introduces two-factor
authentication
APRIL
$3B valuation
2016-2017
OCTOBER
Slack teams up with IBM’s
Watson
JANUARY
Slack introduces
threaded-messaging
2018
FEBRUARY
Slack names Allen Shim its first
CFO
$5B valuation

9. What is Slack up to today?
▰ $7B valuation
▰ Plans to go public
▰ Direct Listing > IPO

10. That Secret Sauce
▰ Centralized Communications
▰ Intelligent bot system
▰ Integrative API

11. Competition
Microsoft Teams
- Freemium
- Conversation threads
- Audio/Video
Facebook Workplace
- Open integrations
- Fun and thematic
Google Hangouts
- Audio/Video
- Google integrations
Slack
- Fast conversation lookup
- Intelligent bot system
- Customizable

12. Prediction?
▰ Clear cut YES
▰ Insane growth
▰ Caters to the right industry
▰ Andreessen Horowitz

13. References
https://www.crunchbase.com/organization/slack#section-overview
https://techcrunch.com/2018/05/08/slack-hits-8-million-daily-active-users-with-3-million-paid-users/
https://www.cnbc.com/2019/01/15/slack-prepares-to-go-public-with-plenty-of-cash-on-hand-report.html
https://slack.com/pricing
https://medium.com/swlh/how-slack-became-a-5-billion-business-by-making-work-less-boring-f78bdad685c8
https://techvibes.com/2015/09/25/a-brief-history-of-slack-2015-09-25
https://www.chanty.com/blog/hangouts-chat-vs-slack/
https://www.getapp.com/collaboration-software/a/slack/compare/workplace-by-facebook/
https://www.chanty.com/blog/slack-vs-microsoft-teams/