Creative Files Found Faster: Shade's AI Search Revolution

Creative and marketing teams now have a new cloud storage solution designed to tackle the ever-increasing volume of media files. Shade, a startup founded in 2024 by high school friends Brandon Fan and Emerson Dove, announced it has raised $14 million in funding. This brings their total funding to $20 million, with Khosla Ventures leading the recent round.

Shade addresses the frustration of sifting through countless files by offering advanced search capabilities. Its platform utilizes natural language search powered by auto-tagging and video transcription, allowing users to find specific scenes and content instantly. This means a search for "a person holding a laptop in snow" can pinpoint all relevant clips with exact timestamps.

Another key feature is Shade's "streamable" file system. This technology allows users to mount cloud storage to their local file system and begin working with files almost immediately, eliminating the need for full downloads. This significantly enhances productivity for teams accustomed to lengthy wait times with traditional cloud storage providers.

Beyond storage and search, Shade facilitates collaboration through timestamped feedback and asset linking with varying permissions. For final client deliveries, teams can create branded, password-protected file collections. The company also offers a $20 per seat per month plan for small teams, including unlimited AI indexing and 500GB of active storage.

Shade aims to become a foundational tool for creative workflows, akin to CRMs for contact management two decades ago. Future plans include enhancing search across various file types and developing a no-code platform for workflow automation. This positions Shade as a comprehensive solution for managing and leveraging digital assets.