Goodnotes acquires Trawto creator Dropthebit to revolutionize AI-powered note-taking

In a significant move that promises to reshape the landscape of digital note-taking, Goodnotes, a leader in the digital paper application market, has announced the acquisition of Dropthebit, creators of Traw. Traw is a pioneering service known for its ability to automatically organize and summarize content from meetings, lectures, and videos into concise notes and videos. This acquisition marks a significant step in the integration of generative AI technology into the Goodnotes platform.

Traw, launched in 2020 by Dropthebit, has been at the forefront of using technology to automate the creation of notes, catering to both personal materials and online content. The company, following a seed investment from Capstone Partners and KB Investment, released Traw Whiteboard in 2022. This innovative digital whiteboard could record user interactions during lectures and meetings, subsequently editing these recordings into summarized documents, complete with subtitles.

Goodnotes Expands Capabilities with Traw Acquisition. Photo courtesy of PRNewswire/Goodnotes Limited.

The introduction of Traw AI last May further enhanced the company’s offerings. This tool specialized in organizing and summarizing YouTube video content, capable of creating short video or textual summaries and extracting key information into a table format. Such advancements have streamlined the research process, making Traw a valuable asset in the digital note-taking realm.

Goodnotes’ acquisition of Traw is not its first foray into strategic investments aimed at enhancing user experience. In late 2023, Goodnotes invested $1.9 million in WeBudding, South Korea’s largest digital stationery platform. This move was part of a broader initiative to partner with innovative startups in the digital paper space, with AI innovation being a key focus. The launch of Goodnotes 6 in 2023, featuring the world’s first generative AI for handwritten text, positioned Goodnotes as a pioneer in AI-powered digital paper technology.

Kyumin Sim, the former co-founder and CEO of Traw, now a product lead at Goodnotes, expressed excitement about the merger. “The meeting of Goodnotes and Traw was like fitting together forgotten puzzle pieces,” said Sim. He emphasized the synergy between the two companies and the potential for creating new features and value for users.

Goodnotes CEO Steven highlighted the natural fit of Traw’s AI tools for audio and video recordings within the Goodnotes ecosystem. Impressed by the Traw team’s innovation and passion, he sees this acquisition as a crucial step in accelerating Goodnotes’ roadmap.

The integration of Traw’s technology and team into Goodnotes signals an evolution in digital note-taking. Goodnotes plans to extend its offerings beyond traditional “pen and paper” note-taking, incorporating new modalities and mediums into its platform. This merger represents not just a technological leap but a vision for the future of digital paper and AI-powered note-taking.