Hike, the messenger app backed by Tiger Global and Softbank, is trying to generate more content to increase engagement with its over 100 million users. It is also focusing on video to take on rivals like WhatsApp.
“The focus this year and in 2017 will be less on how to convert the 100 million to 200 million (users) and more about how the market is shifting,” said Kavin Mittal, founder of Hike. “A lot of Hike was built backwards, now it is being built forwards.”
The scion of the Mittal family wants to make the app a one-stop spot for all activities. The company is thus focusing on generating content apart from the already available coupons, games, news and cricket scores.
Hike had a user base of 100 million, according to its last update
in January. The app rolled out a video calling feature for Android phones last week and iOS users are expected to have it in a couple of weeks. Facebook-backed popular messaging app WhatsApp is in
the beta phase of testing its video calling feature.
“People prefer visual and audio communication more than texting. Beyond 100 million, everything has to happen visually. At the end of the day, why can’t technology evolve enough to make long-distance communication a face-to-face interaction?” Mittal said.
Hike is also scouting for startups it can work with. “I like people who are building stuff themselves. We are going to be active in 2017,” Mittal added.
He believes he is fortunate to have a home market of 1.30 billion people and hence Hike’s focus now is India. Once it has proved itself at home, the company will look at other emerging markets, including Bangladesh and those in Africa.
On funding, Mittal said his company had enough money to last for three years. Hike was the newest entrant into the unicorn club from India after it raised $175 million in August in a funding round led by Chinese Internet giant Tencent Holdings.
The application has no plans
to expand beyond the eight languages it offers now because Mittal feels India is a “sight and sound market”.
