Billion Hearts raises $4 Mn in new round

Mayank Bidawatka, co-founder of the vernacular microblogging platform Koo, has raised $4 million for his new consumer tech startup, Billion Hearts, in a funding round led by early-stage venture capital firm Blume Ventures.

The round also saw participation from General Catalyst and Athera Venture Partners.

The startup had closed a ~$250K pre-seed round from the founders of redBus, Ola, InMobi, and Myntra, among others in September this year.

The proceeds will be used to build a global team and enhance its technology, emphasizing that the team will remain small since it is focused on creating a tech-driven product. It also plans to expand its team to 15 by early next year.

The startup is currently accepting sign-ups. The first product is slated to launch its beta in early next year for a select few users. The app will be available on both Android and iPhone devices.

Vernacular microblogging platform Koo shut down its operations in July this year amid no traction and follow-up investment. The company was also looking for a merger and acquisition deal but failed to find a buyer.