"Napkin Leverages Visual AI to Streamline Automated Business Storytelling"

Napkin is an innovative AI-driven tool crafted for business professionals to enhance their presentations through visual storytelling. Founded by Silicon Valley veterans Pramod Sharma and Jerome Scholler, who previously launched Osmo, Napkin leverages generative AI to effortlessly bring ideas to life.

What’s Behind the Name?

The name "Napkin" reflects the traditional practice of sketching ideas on a napkin—often the inception point for many Silicon Valley startups. This tool enables users to transform these ideas into stunning visuals and presentations automatically.

Effortless Visual Storytelling

Based in Los Altos, California, Napkin simplifies the visual communication process. Users can input text for a business presentation, and the platform quickly generates relevant visuals, adjusting styles, colors, fonts, and designs to maximize storytelling effectiveness. In a demonstration, Sharma showcased how Napkin can create flow charts, pie charts, and other visuals, which can be fine-tuned for precision and impact.

Currently in beta, Napkin integrates seamlessly with popular applications such as Google Docs, Slides, Canva, Slack, Word, and PowerPoint. This tool eliminates the need for design expertise, allowing users to create prototypes of their presentations effortlessly. Regular updates will introduce new styles and designs to cater to evolving storytelling needs.

The Need for Effective Communication

In an interview, Sharma emphasized the challenge of effectively communicating ideas in a world of shrinking attention spans and information overload. Napkin addresses this issue by converting text into visuals, freeing users from the burdensome complexities of design.

Designed for professionals—including marketers, writers, educators, and content creators—Napkin unlocks the visual potential of text. It empowers even those lacking design skills to convey their ideas effectively.

Simplifying Design Access

Sharma draws a parallel to the iPhone's impact on photography, stating, “We aim to make graphic design just as accessible.” Napkin is about enhancing design accessibility, enabling users to articulate their ideas without the time-consuming process of creating visuals from scratch.

How Napkin Works

1. Input Your Text: Paste existing text content or generate text using an AI prompt.

2. Generate Visuals: Click the "spark icon" next to any text section, and Napkin offers suggested visuals within seconds.

3. Customization: Adjust font, color, shape, and design using built-in editing tools to align with your style or brand.

4. Seamless Embedding: Transfer visuals effortlessly into platforms like Google Slides, Microsoft Word, LinkedIn, and more.

5. Versatile Applications: Utilize Napkin for presentations, blogs, pitch decks, social content, newsletters, and various other formats.

Real-World Impact

Jason Miller, COO of Sprouts.ai, remarked on Napkin's convenience, stating, “Before Napkin, we faced limitations in accessing graphics. Now, it feels like having a designer at our fingertips, significantly enhancing our storytelling ability while saving time and costs.”

A Growing Catalog of Visuals

Napkin's extensive design catalog includes over 30 visual categories, such as mind maps and flow charts, with ongoing development for more customization options and unique formats.

Founders’ Inspiration

Sharma and Scholler previously sold Osmo, a company that utilized reflective AI in educational tools, acquired for $120 million by Byju's in 2019. Inspired by their own communication challenges, they created Napkin AI to help ensure that great ideas can be shared and understood effectively.

Looking Ahead

Napkin aims to democratize visual communication akin to how the iPhone revolutionized photography. Sharma states, “We recognize the challenges ahead, but we are excited about our progress. Our focus remains on understanding text and generating high-quality visuals.”

For more information, you can join the beta at .