Rise and Fall of Indian Social Media Startup “Koo”

“Koo” was an Indian microblogging platform launched in March 2020 by Aprameya Radhakrishna and Mayank Bidawatka as an alternative to Twitter (now X). It gained prominence during India’s Atmanirbhar Bharat (Self-Reliant India) push and amid tensions between the Indian government and global social media platforms.

The Rise of “Koo”

Indian Social media Platform “Koo” was initially designed for vernacular language users, supporting Hindi, Kannada, Tamil, and other Indian languages. Gained traction as a homegrown Twitter rival, especially after winning the Aatmanirbhar App Innovation Challenge (2020).

Several Indian ministers and government departments joined Koo, promoting it as a desi alternative to Twitter. Influencers, journalists, and celebrities migrated during the Twitter vs. Indian government War (2021). Notable personalities like Piyush Goyal and Ravi Shankar Prasad have joined the platform, adding to its credibility.

Koo has rolled out some exciting features that make it easier to engage with others. One standout feature is “Talk to Type,” which lets you convert your voice into text seamlessly. Additionally, users can now organize their posts using hashtags and tag friends in mentions or replies.

Koo has successfully raised significant funds, securing $30 million in Series B funding led by Tiger Global Management in May 2021. In November 2022, they garnered an additional $6 million in a funding round, again led by Accel Partners and Tiger Global. As a result of these investments, Koo’s valuation soared to over $100 million after the Series B round and reached an impressive $275 million by November 2022.

The Fall of “Koo”

Koo failed to build a sustainable revenue model. It’s a heavy reliance on ads, but low engagement. Koo Was Spending heavily on marketing, server costs, and global expansion without enough user retention, and due to this company ran out of funds by early 2024, leading to layoffs and cost-cutting.

Koo faced challenges in managing its monthly expenses and finding long-term partnerships and investments. The platform was up against tough competition from major players like Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.

In 2023, Instagram launched Threads and stole potential Koo users. The Company tried shifting to a LinkedIn-like professional network but failed. Co-founders resigned in 2024, signaling the app’s decline.

Also Read: How to Earn Money Through TwitterX

In July 2024, Koo announced it was shutting down due to funding issues and inability to scale. Acquired by a larger tech firm, but the app was eventually discontinued.

Koo was a bold attempt to create an Indian Twitter rival, but it couldn’t overcome monetization challenges, competition, and high operational costs. Its rise and fall highlight the difficulties of building a social media platform in a market dominated by global giants.