Since its launch, predictive text app SwiftKey has grown into a global phenomenon. The app replaces the traditional keypad with one which lets you form words by simply dragging your finger over the letters. SwiftKey memorises your most commonly used words and utilises Artificial Intelligence to predict which words are going to come next. Sound like a good idea? It is – SwiftKey is now on 300 million smartphones around the world.
A quintessentially British story
Behind this fantastic invention was a 20-year-old lad. Now, that lad – Jon Reynolds – has 145 people working under him and SwiftKey has been named London’s hottest start-up (Wired) and has secured sixth place in the world ranking of most innovative business ideas for mobile (Fast Company).
Everything began not in Silicon Valley, but at the University of Cambridge. After graduating, Reynolds joined the civil service. He soon met Ben Medlock, who was studying for a doctorate in Artificial Intelligence.
"There have been a number of times when we felt that the market was going in a certain direction and we were right, but it got there a lot quicker than we thought it would”
The spark
Reynolds began to look around, because all good ideas stem from observing the tiniest details.
“I was working in the civil service and I was in a meeting where there was a lawyer tapping on a BlackBerry phone,” recalls Reynolds. “At that moment I realised that we were still using the Qwerty keyboard on these tiny little BlackBerrys.”
It was these fortuitous circumstances – and Reynolds’ own foresight – which brought him the insight he needed to launch what would become a wildly successful business.
Making it a reality
At this point, Reynolds needed someone with the technical skills for the project. This is where Ben Medlock comes in – he had the necessary vision to develop the technology behind the predictive text idea. The two spent 18 months developing the system before launching the beta version in July 2010.
The importance of fusing observation and instinct
Reynolds is a shining example of how to combine instinct, observational skills and an ability to read the market. “There have been a number of times when we felt that the market was going in a certain direction and we were right, but it got there a lot quicker than we thought it would,” explains Reynolds. “Probably at some point in the next five to 20 years, there’s going to be another big disruption.”
That sentiment is at the heart of the cycle of change – a continuous state of flux.