The Moment That Sparked Ysum

It started with a simple realization: YouTube was stealing our time. Not maliciously—but through endless autoplay, distractions, and content that rarely led to action. We’d go in to watch one tutorial and end up lost in algorithmic rabbit holes for hours.

The moment that changed everything came during a productivity sprint. We tracked time watched vs value gained—and the result was staggering. Less than 5% of the content consumed resulted in any note, bookmark, or actionable learning.

That number haunted us. It wasn’t that the videos were bad. It was that **there was no system to separate signal from noise.**

The Birth of Ysum

Ysum was built out of necessity—a filter for the modern mind. A tool that could look at a YouTube video and ask: “Is this worth your time?”

We started with usefulness scores: objective indicators based on how much value a video delivers. Then came summaries—fast, focused, and generated by AI. Then we asked ourselves: what if the summary sounded like you? That’s how our Persona Engine was born.

From day one, the goal wasn’t just saving time. It was **transforming passive viewing into active learning**—building a second brain through content that sticks.

Where We’re Headed

We believe the future of learning is personal, AI-assisted, and designed for action. Not just what you watch, but what you remember, apply, and export into your own knowledge system.

That’s why we’re building a full ecosystem: browser extension, personal summary feed, export tools for Markdown, Notion, and Obsidian. A place where your learning becomes searchable, structured, and yours to reuse.

Our goal is bold: help you reclaim your time, curate your mind, and build a smarter way to learn.

Join the Journey

Ysum isn’t just a product. It’s a collective rethink of how we spend time online. And we’re just getting started.

Whether you’re a student, creator, founder, or lifelong learner—if you believe in learning with intent, you belong here.

Vlad Uno

Founder of Ysum