Koo (social network)

Koo
	Koo's logo
	Koo's homepage on desktop version
Type of business	Private
Type of site	Microblogging; Social networking service; News;
Available in	Multilingual
Founded	14 November 2019
Dissolved	3 July 2024
Headquarters	Bangalore, Karnataka, India
Country of origin	India
Area served	Worldwide
Owner	Koo Corporation Pvt Ltd
Founder(s)	Aprameya Radhakrishna; Mayank Bidawatka;
Key people	Aprameya Radhakrishna (CEO)
Industry	Internet; Social media; Social networking service; Social network advertising;
Employees	200 (September 2021)
URL	kooapp.com
Advertising	Yes
Commercial	Yes
Registration	Optional
Users	60 million (November 2022)
Launched	2020
Current status	Defunct
Native client(s) on	iOS, Android, Web

Koo was an Indian microblogging and social networking service, owned by Bangalore-based Bombinate Technologies.^[2]^[3]^[4] It was co-founded by entrepreneurs Aprameya Radhakrishna and Mayank Bidawatka.^[5] The app was launched in early 2020; it won the government's Atmanirbhar App Innovation Challenge which selected the best apps from some 7,000 entries across the country.^[6]

As of November 2022, the company was valued at over $275 million.^[7] Investors in Bombinate Technologies include Tiger Global Management, Blume Ventures, Kalaari Capital and Accel, and former Infosys CFO TV Mohandas Pai's 3one4 Capital.^[8]

On 3 July 2024, the founders announced their decision to shut down the platform.

^ "Koo to raise headcount to 500 in next 1 year". Business Line. Press Trust of India. 12 September 2021. Archived from the original on 27 September 2021. Retrieved 15 February 2022.
^ "Will double headcount; lot of headroom for growing user base: Koo". The Hindu. Press Trust of India. 9 May 2021. ISSN 0971-751X. Archived from the original on 9 May 2021. Retrieved 27 May 2021.
^ "Indian entrepreneurs back Koo app as Chinese investor exits". The Economic Times. 12 February 2021. Archived from the original on 12 February 2021. Retrieved 12 February 2021.
^ Pratap, Ketan (10 February 2021). "Desi microblogging platform Koo will have to cover a lot of ground to be Twitter alternative". Archived from the original on 10 February 2021. Retrieved 5 March 2021.
^ Malhotra, Vanshika (7 August 2020). "Koo app: India's Twitter alternative will help you express views in your local language". India TV News. Archived from the original on 10 February 2021. Retrieved 15 February 2021.
^ "Chingari, YourQuote and Koo are the winners of the Aatmanirbhar App Innovation Challenge". Indulge Express. Indo-Asian News Service. 31 August 2020. Archived from the original on 22 April 2021. Retrieved 15 February 2021.
^ Ashrafi, Md Salman (23 November 2022). "Exclusive: Koo raises over $6 Mn led by Tiger Global". Entrackr. Archived from the original on 25 November 2022. Retrieved 25 November 2022.
^ "Twitter under fire, Koo announces $30 million fundraise: why it's significant". The Indian Express. 26 May 2021. Archived from the original on 24 November 2022. Retrieved 17 March 2023.

[1] "Koo to raise headcount to 500 in next 1 year". Business Line. Press Trust of India. 12 September 2021. Archived from the original on 27 September 2021. Retrieved 15 February 2022.

[TH-2] "Will double headcount; lot of headroom for growing user base: Koo". The Hindu. Press Trust of India. 9 May 2021. ISSN 0971-751X. Archived from the original on 9 May 2021. Retrieved 27 May 2021.

[ET-3] "Indian entrepreneurs back Koo app as Chinese investor exits". The Economic Times. 12 February 2021. Archived from the original on 12 February 2021. Retrieved 12 February 2021.

[4] Pratap, Ketan (10 February 2021). "Desi microblogging platform Koo will have to cover a lot of ground to be Twitter alternative". Archived from the original on 10 February 2021. Retrieved 5 March 2021.

[5] Malhotra, Vanshika (7 August 2020). "Koo app: India's Twitter alternative will help you express views in your local language". India TV News. Archived from the original on 10 February 2021. Retrieved 15 February 2021.

[:1-6] "Chingari, YourQuote and Koo are the winners of the Aatmanirbhar App Innovation Challenge". Indulge Express. Indo-Asian News Service. 31 August 2020. Archived from the original on 22 April 2021. Retrieved 15 February 2021.

[7] Ashrafi, Md Salman (23 November 2022). "Exclusive: Koo raises over $6 Mn led by Tiger Global". Entrackr. Archived from the original on 25 November 2022. Retrieved 25 November 2022.

[8] "Twitter under fire, Koo announces $30 million fundraise: why it's significant". The Indian Express. 26 May 2021. Archived from the original on 24 November 2022. Retrieved 17 March 2023.

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