Koo Cofounder Unveils AI Photo Sharing App PicSee
Mayank Bidawatka, a prominent figure in the Indian startup ecosystem and cofounder of the now-defunct microblogging platform Koo, has launched a new venture into the consumer tech space. His new company, Billion Hearts, is behind PicSee, an innovative photo-sharing app powered by artificial intelligence.
How PicSee Revolutionizes Photo Sharing
The app addresses a common modern problem: our photos are scattered across the smartphones of friends and family. PicSee offers a seamless solution. It allows two users to access photos of themselves from each other's phone galleries after a one-time mutual approval. The app uses on-device facial recognition to scan the gallery, identify relevant photos, and then automatically exchanges them between the approved users.
“Everyone understands that taking photos is one of the more important activities (using a smartphone) compared to other use cases because it's very personal,” Bidawatka explained. He believes the app's core strength lies in its reciprocal nature. “People don’t share photos with you because they get nothing in return. When there’s something to gain, they’re more willing to do it. That’s the core insight behind building this product,” he said.
Explosive Growth and Global Reach
PicSee's approach has resonated with users. After a soft launch in July with just 25 users, the platform has scaled an impressive 75 times in under three months, with growth driven primarily by users inviting their friends. To date, over 150,000 photos have been shared on the platform.
While its main user base is currently in India, PicSee has already established a global presence with users in 27 countries, including the US, UK, Japan, Germany, and France. The app is available for both Android and iPhone devices.
Privacy First and a Clear Path to Monetization
Addressing privacy concerns head-on, Bidawatka confirmed that PicSee keeps all photos off its servers. The images remain on the users' devices and are encrypted during any transfers, ensuring user data remains private.
Currently available for free, the company plans to introduce a subscription-led revenue model in the future, which will offer users access to more premium features.
Backed by Investors for a New Vision
The Bengaluru-based startup, Billion Hearts, is well-funded for its journey. The company raised $4 million in a funding round led by early-stage venture capital firm Blume Ventures.
This new venture follows Bidawatka’s experience with his previous startup, Koo, which he founded with Aprameya Radhakrishna. Koo gained fame as an Indian rival to Twitter but ultimately shut down last year after talks for a potential merger with companies like Dailyhunt did not materialize. For more on that story, you can read about the rise and fall of Koo.
