9 Count is a technology company.
9 Count is a technology company.
9 Count has raised $28.0M across 3 funding rounds.
9 Count has raised $28.0M in total across 3 funding rounds.
9count is a Los Angeles-based mobile app studio founded in 2018 (with operations starting in 2019) that builds Gen Z-focused social apps to foster connections through chatting, live video, games, and more.[1][2][3] Its flagship app, Wink, is the #1 U.S.-made friend-making app, creating over 50 million friendships monthly, while others like Summer (no-swipe dating), Popstream (creator meet-and-greets), Juju (gaming), and Everland (self-connection) target specific social needs.[2][3] With $27.5 million in funding, $7.4 million in 2025 revenue, 20+ million installs, and a lean team of 22-35 employees, 9count solves loneliness by enabling authentic interactions for young users via a multi-app portfolio that cross-promotes and iterates on data.[1][3][4]
9count was co-founded in January 2019 by Alex Hofmann, former President of musical.ly (acquired by ByteDance/TikTok), who drove North and South American growth, and Joe Viola, a Forbes 30 Under 30 product manager in consumer tech.[1][2][3][5][6] The idea emerged from Hofmann's social app expertise post-musical.ly exit in 2017, aiming to recapture Gen Z connection magic amid rising digital isolation.[3][4] Early traction came with Wink's launch as a interest-based friend-finder, quickly scaling to millions of installs and paving the way for a portfolio approach; by 2022, they'd raised $6 million more, hitting $27.5 million total funding.[1][3]
9count stands out in the crowded social app space through its multi-app studio model, leveraging shared tech, data, and cross-promotion for efficiency:
9count rides the post-pandemic loneliness wave and Gen Z's demand for niche, meaningful digital bonds amid TikTok fatigue and swipe-app burnout.[3][7] Timing aligns with rising mental health awareness and social commerce, where apps like Wink fill gaps left by broad platforms; its U.S.-centric, creator-friendly tools (e.g., Popstream) counter foreign-dominated social giants.[2][3] By cross-pollinating users across apps, 9count influences the ecosystem toward modular social experiences, enabling smaller studios to compete via efficiency—much like musical.ly disrupted pre-TikTok—while investors like GGV Capital and Redpoint back its scalable model.[3][5]
9count's momentum—20M installs, steady revenue, and expanding portfolio—positions it to dominate Gen Z social niches as AI personalization and AR deepen connections.[1][3] Next steps likely include scaling Popstream/Juju betas, international growth, and new monetization like premium features or creator tools, fueled by its $27.5M war chest.[3][5] Trends like authentic self-expression and multi-app ecosystems will amplify its edge, potentially evolving it into a social platform powerhouse; watch for acquisitions or IPO paths echoing Hofmann's musical.ly playbook, keeping users "feeling connected" at scale.[2][7]
9 Count has raised $28.0M in total across 3 funding rounds.
9 Count's investors include CapitalG, Flybridge Capital Partners, General Catalyst, Inspired Capital, Notable Capital.
9 Count has raised $28.0M across 3 funding rounds. Most recently, it raised $6.0M Series A in August 2022.
| Date | Round | Lead Investors | Other Investors |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aug 1, 2022 | $6.0M Series A | CapitalG, Flybridge Capital Partners, General Catalyst, Inspired Capital, Notable Capital | |
| Jan 1, 2019 | $7.0M Seed | CapitalG, Flybridge Capital Partners, General Catalyst, Inspired Capital, Notable Capital | |
| Jan 1, 2019 | $15.0M Series A |