Clava wants to help content creators get paid from the first view

Alexander Julian (AJ) Picard had a dream of being a content creator on YouTube.

For a year, he grinded it out on making videos, detailing his journey as a self-taught app developer by regularly undertaking Swift UI challenges. Over the course of a year, he grew his channel to 1,700 subscribers.

But he didn’t make a dime from YouTube.

“It was all because I never hit their platform guidelines,” said Picard. With more than 1,000 subscribers, he hit one threshold for monetization. But not the requirement for hours watched.

“So I took a step back, and said, there’s gotta be a better way,” he said.

That path led to the creation of a new app for content creators. Picard teamed with experienced developer Trishant Bhatija and they built Clava. It aims to allow content creators to make money from the first time viewers put eyes on their content.

The Baltimore-based duo want to create an environment where creators with small or medium-level followings can be adequately compensated. Whether it’s five viewers or 100 viewers, the duo want creators to make more than cents on the dollar.

The app is a livestreaming platform focusing on content that would be in the category of what one sees on Twitch IRL or Instagram Live.

To access content, users who access the app purchase minutes and pay to view livestreams.

“We’re allowing these creators to livestream and make money the second one viewer joins their live,” said Picard.

The duo has been working together for three years on Clava, with its first iteration being a GPS-based chatroom app. After the pivot to livestreaming over the past year, it has been a grind to get the app to market. But with Bhatija’s experience creating games for the iOS App Store, the method to get an app to market was pretty straightforward.

“Once you learn the process of how to develop and publish through the App Store it’s just a matter of [making sure] the idea and the product is sound,” said Bhatija.

There has been learning along the way. Before the full launch of the app in July, there was a botched stream with a large creator. When they tested the stream internally it was working, but when it went live there were issues. It taught the duo to test, test, test.

They also learned to build incrementally. If the duo had to do the whole launch of Clava over, they’d make some different choices.

“I would have took a step back and not tried to hit a home run,” said Picard. “If I could do it over I would have gotten smaller creators in there testing the product.” Working with partners who are willing to test and adapt can help pave the way to make sure one is ready for a higher stakes launch.

But those are the growing pains many young companies face. Picard and Bhatija are moving forward and continuing to develop the app. They’re looking to make the app more interactive for users and add free streaming models where content creators can stream while users donate tips.

As it has moved from idea to fully functioning product, the founders have kept a commitment to keep propelling it through.

“It’s a lot of grit and willingness to want to learn,” said Picard. “I thank Trish everyday for sticking through with this.”