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Yahoo spends 'millions' on UK teen Nick D'Aloisio's Summly app | Yahoo spends 'millions' on UK teen Nick D'Aloisio's Summly app |
(35 minutes later) | |
An app created by a UK teenager has been acquired by web giant Yahoo in a deal the BBC understands to be worth "dozens of millions" of pounds. | An app created by a UK teenager has been acquired by web giant Yahoo in a deal the BBC understands to be worth "dozens of millions" of pounds. |
Seventeen-year-old Nick D'Aloisio's Summly app summarises news stories from popular media companies. | Seventeen-year-old Nick D'Aloisio's Summly app summarises news stories from popular media companies. |
Neither company would disclose the terms of the deal publicly. | Neither company would disclose the terms of the deal publicly. |
The app itself will now close, but its features will be used in mobile products at Yahoo, where Mr D'Aloisio has been given a job. | The app itself will now close, but its features will be used in mobile products at Yahoo, where Mr D'Aloisio has been given a job. |
He will be joined by several of Summly's "top staff" in new roles at Yahoo in the next few weeks. | He will be joined by several of Summly's "top staff" in new roles at Yahoo in the next few weeks. |
The app launched when Mr D'Aloisio was aged just 15, and soon attracted more than £1m of investment. He is now likely to be one of the world's youngest self-made multi-millionaires. | The app launched when Mr D'Aloisio was aged just 15, and soon attracted more than £1m of investment. He is now likely to be one of the world's youngest self-made multi-millionaires. |
Speaking to the London Evening Standard, the Wimbledon-based teen said: "I like shoes, I will buy a new pair of Nike trainers and I'll probably get a new computer, but at the moment I just want to save and bank it. | Speaking to the London Evening Standard, the Wimbledon-based teen said: "I like shoes, I will buy a new pair of Nike trainers and I'll probably get a new computer, but at the moment I just want to save and bank it. |
"I don't have many living expenses." | "I don't have many living expenses." |
'Fantastic team' | 'Fantastic team' |
In a note on the Summly blog, Mr D'Aloisio wrote on Monday: "When I founded Summly at 15, I would have never imagined being in this position so suddenly. | In a note on the Summly blog, Mr D'Aloisio wrote on Monday: "When I founded Summly at 15, I would have never imagined being in this position so suddenly. |
"I'd personally like to thank Li Ka-Shing and Horizons Ventures for having the foresight to back a teenager pursuing his dream. Also to our investors, advisers and of course the fantastic team for believing in the potential of Summly. | "I'd personally like to thank Li Ka-Shing and Horizons Ventures for having the foresight to back a teenager pursuing his dream. Also to our investors, advisers and of course the fantastic team for believing in the potential of Summly. |
"Without you all, this never would have been possible. I'd also like to thank my family, friends and school for supporting me." | "Without you all, this never would have been possible. I'd also like to thank my family, friends and school for supporting me." |
Yahoo's senior vice president of mobile, Adam Cahan, said the company was "excited" to have Mr D'Aloisio and his colleagues on board. | Yahoo's senior vice president of mobile, Adam Cahan, said the company was "excited" to have Mr D'Aloisio and his colleagues on board. |
"For publishers, the Summly technology provides a new approach to drive interest in stories and reach a generation of mobile users that want information on the go," he wrote. | "For publishers, the Summly technology provides a new approach to drive interest in stories and reach a generation of mobile users that want information on the go," he wrote. |
Less enthusiastic about the acquisition was app developer Little Fluffy Toys. | |
The London-based company was commissioned by Mr D'Aloisio to create an Android version of the Summly app - which was days away from launch. | |
Little Fluffy Toys director Kenton Price - who is also contracted by the BBC - said that his firm was told the Yahoo deal was on the cards, but was "disappointed" the app would now never be released. |