Most video creation tools force users to choose between quality and speed—either offering polished videos with lengthy workflows or fast results with compromised quality. Tella, a screen recording and video storytelling platform, eliminates this trade-off, enabling users to produce professional videos in minutes rather than hours.
At the core of Tella’s technology is a proprietary rendering engine that delivers high-quality videos almost instantly, regardless of length. For instance, a ten-minute video takes just slightly longer than ten minutes to publish—about the same time it takes to record. Traditional video editing software, by contrast, can require 30 minutes or more for the same task.
Seed Funding Boosts Growth and AI Editing Features
Tella recently secured $2.1 million in seed funding, led by Gradient, with participation from AltaIR Capital, Mento VC, Lobster Capital, The Singularity Fund, and several angel investors. This follows their previous $1.4 million raise from Y Combinator, Liquid 2, and Gradient, bringing the total funding to $3.5 million, though the valuation remains undisclosed.
With this fresh capital, Tella plans to expand its team and invest in growth, particularly in the development of an AI-powered editing feature. Launching later this year, this feature will automatically remove mistakes, apply effects, manage shot changes, add branding, and more—eliminating the need for manual editing.
Founded in 2020 amid the remote work boom, Tella emerged from the experiences of Grant Shaddick and Michiel Westerbeek, former employees of InVision. Their time at InVision, a company that had already embraced remote work before the pandemic, highlighted the need for more effective tools for asynchronous communication.
“We were frustrated by outdated video tools used for product demos and tutorials,” Shaddick explained. “The lengthy process and poor user experience seemed out of place in an era of rapid software development. It was clear that better tools were needed.”
Leveraging their backgrounds in eBay and Bynder, Shaddick and Westerbeek launched Tella in Y Combinator’s Summer 2020 batch (YC S20). Their goal: bridge the gap between basic screen recording and professional video production, making video storytelling accessible to everyone.
Tella’s Unique Selling Points
Tella stands out by offering more power than standard screen recording software, yet maintaining greater simplicity than traditional video editors. Designed for entrepreneurs, educators, marketers, and support teams, the platform turns quick screen recordings into professional videos for marketing, education, and training.
Recent feature updates have further enhanced the platform’s ability to handle video selection and playback, signaling Tella’s commitment to continuous innovation. One of its key innovations is the ability to record camera and screen separately, allowing users to adjust placement, combine multiple clips, and make edits with ease—producing professional results without the complexity of traditional editing software.
“Our focus is on giving customers professional videos with the least effort and time on their part,” Shaddick noted. “Our custom rendering workflow drastically reduces video publishing time, as users no longer need to wait for long rendering processes.”
Competition and Market Transformation
The screen recording market is undergoing significant changes, driven by the rise of remote work, the growing need for asynchronous communication, and advancements in AI. While Loom remains a major player, competitors like Screen Studio, Rally, and Supercut are emerging, aiming for the same space. Following Loom’s $975 million acquisition by Atlassian in 2023, startups like Tella are reshaping the market by moving beyond basic screen recordings to sophisticated storytelling tools.
Tella’s plans for the near future include automating the video editing process. Shaddick emphasized, “Customers want great videos, fast. They don’t want to spend time editing. Our goal is to provide them with exactly that—professional, polished videos with minimal effort.”
He further explained, “Screen recording started as a tool for simple communication and feedback. But we’ve seen a shift towards more impactful use cases. Today, screen recordings serve as the foundation for marketing content in software and software-adjacent businesses. Users need tools that can create professional video content as easily as sending an email. That’s exactly what we’re building with Tella.”
“Tella has completely changed how I share ChartHop’s product releases, both internally and externally,” said Ian White, CEO and founder of ChartHop. “It’s fast, efficient, and easy to turn a quick demo into a high-quality video for LinkedIn. Since all the assets are saved, our marketing team can remix and repurpose the videos across different channels. It’s a key part of our content strategy.”
Igor Ryabenkiy, Founder and Managing Partner at AltaIR Capital, added, “Tella’s rapid growth, clear user focus, and innovation convinced us that they are poised to lead the next generation of video tools.”
