The Summly deal makes no sense – Vibhu Norby

The story about Summly’s 17-year old founder cashing out his company for $30,000,000 is fascinating because it makes no sense. I hate to be a curmudgeon, but I think Yahoo shareholders deserve an explanation. It’s not clear at all to me that they are getting their money’s worth. Let’s walk through the story together.

I really like Summly, but I’m in the same boat. Yes, Yahoo is on the rebound and Marissa Mayer is doing some great things, but that still doesn’t explain how Summly fits in or will help the bottom line. If the app stays intact and becomes Summly by Yahoo! (exclamation included for parody, not propriety), my guess is that in a few months, maybe a year or two, you’ll see an ad pop up for a bit, then they’ll kill it.