In a surprising turn of events, Koo, the Indian social media platform hailed as a potential alternative to Twitter, has announced its shutdown. The move comes after a four-month-long deal negotiation with Dailyhunt, a leading content and news aggregator, failed to materialize.
Founded in 2020 by Aprameya Radhakrishna and Mayank Bidawatka, Koo had gained significant traction and was valued at $274 million. The platform had raised a total of $66.4 million in funding over seven rounds, with notable investors like Accel, 3one4 Capital, and Tiger Global Management.
Despite its promising start, Koo was unable to secure a deal with Dailyhunt, leading to its decision to shut down operations. The exact reasons for the failed negotiations are yet to be disclosed.
The shutdown marks a significant setback for India’s social media landscape, which had seen Koo as a promising homegrown alternative to global platforms. The platform’s demise leaves its users and employees in limbo, wondering what could have been.
