Slack

Slack originated from a failed video game, Glitch, transforming its internal chat tool into a productivity revolution. Launched in 2013, it reached a $27.7 billion valuation when Salesforce acquired it in 2021 — the most expensive pivot from a failed game. Slack serves 750,000+ organizations, replacing email with 'channel culture' for searchable, organized, asynchronous work. However, its notifications often shift email anxiety into a persistent digital stress. Faster than the average communication tool, Slack reduces response times by 32% but demands careful management to avoid overload.