LinkedIn Labs Releases TextIn – Internal Hackathon Winner

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April 12, 2011

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LinkedIn Labs Releases TextIn – Internal Hackathon Winner

LinkedIn‘s latest internal hackathon winner is TextIn, which was developed by Sudeep Yegnashankaran and released as part of LinkedIn Labs portal this morning. The app uses Twilio SMS to enable any mobile phone user to search, invite, and update LinkedIn from their mobile phone with a simple text message.

Sudeep originally cofounded CardMunch, a service that was acquired by LinkedIn earlier this year, and since then he’s been cooking up new projects at LinkedIn. The company hosts a monthly internal hackathon that, as Sudeep describes it, “pits the entire company in a battle to produce some of the coolest, geekiest, and most compelling hack”.

It sounds like this kind of activity is a big win for the company and its culture:

“…this being my first “real” job out of college, I had no idea what kind of work environment I would find. I am thrilled to find myself surrounded by people who are not only passionate about innovation but are obsessed with it and celebrate it frequently.” – Sudeep Yegnashankaran

How TextIn Works

Once you’ve synced your phone number to your LinkedIn account, you can use TextIn to search, invite, or update your LinkedIn account. It’s a great solution for LinkedIn users on the go, and those without a smart phone or access to the mobile applications LinkedIn provides.