Frame.io

How Two Founders Grew Frame.io to a $1.275 Billion Exit

March 13th, 2025

Founded By

Emery Wells

Monthly Revenue

$30K

Founders

Employees

91 (est.)

Monthly Traffic

4.55M

Profitable

Yes

Year Started

2014

Customer

B2B

Revenue Per Visitor

$0.01

Founded By
Emery Wells: Monthly Revenue
$30K: Founders
2

Employees
91 (est.): Monthly Traffic
4.55M: Profitable
Yes

Year Started
2014: Customer
B2B: Revenue Per Visitor
$0.01

Who is Emery Wells?

Emery Wells, co-founder of Frame.io, began his career as a freelance video editor and post-production company owner in New York, leveraging his deep industry knowledge to develop the video collaboration platform that eventually sold to Adobe for over a billion dollars.

What problem does Frame.io solve?

Frame.io solves the chaotic hassle of video project collaboration by offering an organized platform for reviewers and creators to give precise feedback, making video production smoother and faster.

Frame.io Homepage

How did Emery come up with the idea for Frame.io?

Emery Wells conceived the idea for Frame.io from his personal experiences as a freelance video editor and post-production company owner. His journey began with a risky purchase of a high-end camera, which propelled him into the thriving world of video production. However, during his time in the industry, he faced constant challenges with inefficient video feedback and collaboration processes.

Together with John Traver, an engineer with a computer science background, Wells started experimenting with software solutions to alleviate these collaboration headaches. Instead of diving directly into uncharted territories, they focused on building something they understood well—tools for video professionals like themselves. This intimate knowledge of the industry's challenges and needs guided their early development efforts.

Despite the initial uncertainty about operating a tech company, Wells and Traver listened to feedback from peers and industry colleagues, ensuring their product truly addressed the real pain points in video production. Their lived experiences in the trenches of video editing informed and shaped the vital features of Frame.io, a solution that quickly resonated with others in the field.

How did Emery Wells build the initial version of Frame.io?

Emery Wells and John Traver began developing Frame.io within their boutique post-production company in New York City, leveraging their deep appreciation for the needs of video professionals. They started working on the core product in 2014, aiming to solve workflow challenges in the video production process. The first version of Frame.io was an online platform designed to integrate seamlessly with existing non-linear editing systems (NLEs). Initial development involved extensive prototyping, and they iterated frequently based on the challenges they identified, with a focus on frame-accurate feedback and user-friendly collaboration tools. The product went through several months of development and testing before launching officially in 2015. This was not an easy process; Wells and Traver had to pivot from their established business model and deal with technical hurdles while ensuring the product met professional standards in a rapidly evolving industry.

What were the initial startup costs for Frame.io?

Product Development: Emery Wells initially put down a $1,000 deposit for a Red One camera, pushing his credit card limit to start in video, which later indirectly contributed to Frame.io's development.
Early Funding: Frame.io raised more than $80 million in venture funding over five years. This included a $2 million seed round from Accel, and a $50 million Series C round led by Insight Partners with participation from Accel, FirstMark, SignalFire, and Shasta Ventures.

What was the growth strategy for Frame.io and how did they scale?

Community Engagement and Word of Mouth

Frame.io leveraged their deep roots and expertise in video production to build a product that resonated highly with industry professionals. By being among the first to offer a comprehensive video collaboration tool, they effectively generated strong word-of-mouth within the filmmaking and creative communities. This organic growth was further propelled by their authentic brand storytelling and industry-specific content that spoke directly to their target audience.

Why it worked: This approach capitalized on a pre-existing network of industry professionals who valued a tool tailored to their specific workflow needs. Their personal connections and credibility in the field helped ensure initial adoption and advocacy among key players in the video production domain, leading to widespread word-of-mouth marketing.

Strategic Partnerships and Integrations

Frame.io focused significantly on integrating their software with other popular tools in the video production ecosystem, such as Adobe Premiere Pro, Final Cut Pro, and DaVinci Resolve. By embedding directly into these widely used platforms, Frame.io became indispensable to their existing user bases, thus expanding their reach exponentially.

Why it worked: By offering seamless integrations, Frame.io positioned itself as a complementary tool rather than a competing one. This not only expanded their user base but also created a low friction pathway for users to try and adopt Frame.io, leveraging the existing trust users had in those well-established platforms.

Venture Funding and Support from Influential Investors

Securing over $90 million in venture funding allowed Frame.io to scale rapidly. This financial backing came with the added benefit of receiving guidance and support from renowned investors and VCs, such as Accel Partners, who provided not only capital but also strategic advice and introductions to a broader network of potential customers and users.

Why it worked: The backing of influential investors provided Frame.io with the resources needed to enhance product development and execute on marketing strategies that might have been difficult without external funding. It also increased their visibility and credibility in the marketplace, making it easier to attract top talent and further innovate their platform.

What's the pricing strategy for Frame.io?

Frame.io employs a tiered pricing strategy starting with a Pro plan at $15/user/month, scaling up to Enterprise solutions with custom pricing based on specific needs, facilitating collaboration for varying video production demands.

Frame.io Pricing

What were the biggest lessons learned from building Frame.io?

Take Strategic Risks: Wells showed that taking calculated risks, like closing an established business, can open doors to bigger opportunities. Aspiring founders should not fear risks but evaluate them based on the potential for growth and positive signals from the market.
Be Hands-On with Product Development: Emery Wells emphasizes the importance of CEOs being deeply involved in delivering quality products. Founders should stay engaged in product development to ensure it aligns with customer needs and maintains high standards.
Centralize Decision-Making: Contrary to common beliefs, Frame.io found that centralized decision-making sped up actions and reduced bureaucratic delays. Aspiring entrepreneurs should consider this approach in growing businesses to enhance efficiency.
Trust Your Instincts: While customer feedback is valuable, Wells learned the power of trusting personal vision and experiences. Founders should balance data-driven decisions with intuition to build products that resonate deeply with themselves and their customers.
Invest in Onboarding and Customer Success: Frame.io saw the value of investing heavily in customer onboarding to ensure users gained the best value from the product. Entrepreneurs should prioritize making onboarding a magical experience to boost retention and referrals.

Frame.io Acquisition: How much did Frame.io sell for and what was the acquisition price?

Frame.io, a video collaboration platform, was acquired by Adobe for $1.275 billion in 2021 to enhance Adobe's video editing capabilities.

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