Intelligent To Do List App Any.do Raises $3.5 Million (opens in new tab)

Just in case anyone else was wondering, the (incompetent) mods here have changed the title from:

    Can somebody explain where is the money in a to-do app?

to

    Intelligent To Do List App Any.do Raises $3.5 Million

If the comments don't make sense, then it probably was meant for the original title.

As was explained to me by a friend who founded a recently-acquired to-do list company, the opportunity is to monetize intent. That is, if my to-do is "take clothes to dry cleaning," the app might be able to suggest a better/closer dry cleaner. You can also imagine many similar opportunities around travel.

This app looks interesting, but the permissions are outrageous. Why does it need to read my call log and smses, directly make phone calls etc?

Customers, skills, and market position (as the go-to todo app) are all contributing factors. I think they intend to expand the scope of the services they deliver -- collect data and hopefully, sell out to a larger company.

I would guess the money is based on speculation that a larger company (dropbox, google, facebook) would purchase your company and add your feature to their existing product.

Orchestra raised a bunch of money for their todo app. And then they pivoted into Mailbox.

Integrating services like Taskrabbit, home delivery etc, at least if some kickback scheme is available. Location-based ads based on "things to buy".

One of the best about me page I've ever seen: http://www.any.do/about

None of the comments make sense because the title was changed.. wtf mods

To answer the original question: because Yahoo! recently paid millions for the Astrid TODO list and is shutting it down, and VCs figure Google might want bragging rights over Yahoo! by buying a better one for even more money and shutting it down.

Haven't seen that many Jews on one page since the book of Leviticus.