Recently, two types of platforms are getting more popular among the young generation: short video platforms and dating apps. What if I tell you an app that has both features. Yes, it is true. Snack is one such app that allows its users to create short videos for dating purposes or matching purposes. The mobile-only video dating app is a platform to woo the young generation of India.
Today, the startup has revealed that it is encouraging Gen Z investors to invest in the firm. Snack said that the Gen Z community can actively participate in the coming financial round that is going to start soon.
Snack Journey So Far
In February, Snack raised $3.5 million in its seed funding round. As per the Snack platform concept, a user can upload a video about his/her liking and disliking. After uploading the video on the Snack platform, other users can engage with your video to make a match. The platform can also send other details like interest, lifestyle, etc.
The snack video platform is also coming up with strategic ties with Tiktok. As per the agreement, users can share their Tiktok videos on the Snack platform.
Kim Kaplan founded the Snack app. She is a serial entrepreneur in the dating app sector. Earlier, she was part of Plenty of Fish, which sold for $575 million in 2015.
Kim Kaplan talked about the initial journey of Snack and how relationship apps got popular. She said:
“If you think about Plenty of Fish, we really launched off of Google SEO,” Kaplan explains. “Then you had Zoosk and Badoo, which launched off of Facebook — when it was a really early platform and it was easy to get traffic from it. Then you had Tinder and Bumble, which launched off of mobile-first. They were the first apps to come out and design and build with mobile in mind versus the rest of us which were desktop, trying to cram everything into a mobile phone.”
What are Snack’s Future Plans?
Talking about Snack’s plans and how it will get benefits from Tiktok tie-up, Kaplan said:
“And I fundamentally believe now that the right opportunity is the distribution on TikTok, as well as influencers. I think that combination of TikTok being the new distribution channel is going to be a massive opportunity — and that’s what we’re trying to leverage.”
In the future, Snack may attract more users that are beyond the Gen Z category. Up to now, the app has users having age between 20 to 35.
The company started its journey in September by fundraising events to build the team and other infrastructure. In late February, the platform was officially launched.
Talking about the short journey, Kaplan said:
“We’re only about eight weeks into this right now, but we’re seeing a lot of excitement, a lot of user growth. Because of that excitement that’s kind of building, people — a lot of really interesting people — came to the table and said they wanted to invest. But I didn’t have any room left in the previous rounds, so I decided to open up a SAFE.”
Talking about the SAFE initiative, Kaplan further added:
“We don’t have any carry fees with another person, and [we’re] opening it up to Gen Z investors that want to participate in the round.”
Huebekcer, one of the investors, talked about the Snack app. He said:
“Video-first dating allows a unique sense of expression that you can’t portray with a few well-crafted words and filtered pictures. For a mobile-first generation, this new form of authenticity will grow to be necessary. Snack allows users to express their real selves just like they do on TikTok, Snapchat, and other platforms we love.”
Technology investor and founder at The Innovation Armory, Samuel Natbony, Monique Woodard (Cake Ventures), Backbone Angels, SHAKTI, Christian Winklund (previously CEO of dating app Skout which sold to Meet Group), Andrew Wilkinson, and others are joining Snack under its SAFE initiative.
Kaplan also gave a message for Gen Z. She said:
“I want Gen Z to have a seat at the table and help shape what Snack becomes. I want them to have that voice and participate, and be a champion for Snack.”
