Amino Apps

Amino Apps is a technology company.

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Updated: Dec 8, 2025 ·

Recent News & Mentions

Jun 1, 2018FundingAmino Apps - Series C Dec 1, 2016FundingAmino Apps - Series B Sep 1, 2015FundingAmino Apps - Series A Jul 1, 2014FundingAmino Apps - Seed

Financial History

Amino Apps has raised $73.0M across 4 funding rounds. Most recently, it raised $45.0M Series C in June 2018.

Total Raised

$73.0M

Valuation

N/A

Funding Rounds Raised

Date	Round	Other Investors
Jun 1, 2018	$45.0M Series C	Blumberg Capital, CoinFund, Comcast Ventures, Dawn Capital, ENIAC Ventures, Entrée Capital Ventures, Forerunner Ventures, Goat Capital, Goodwater Capital, M.G. Siegler, GV, Mathias Schilling, LAUNCH, Sandwith Ventures, Xfund, Dmitry Dakhnovsky, Eric Feng, MG Siegler, Nir Eyal, Patrick S. Chung, Scott Belsky, Tien Tzuo, Tony Jamous, Will Herman
Dec 1, 2016	$19.0M Series B	Blumberg Capital, BoxGroup, Brand Foundry Ventures, CoinFund, Comcast Ventures, Dawn Capital, Dopamine Ventures, ENIAC Ventures, Entrée Capital Ventures, Equal Ventures, Fifth Wall, Forerunner Ventures, Goat Capital, Goodwater Capital, M.G. Siegler, GV, Mathias Schilling, Jazz Venture Partners, LAUNCH, Red Swan Ventures, Sandwith Ventures, Serena Ventures, Thrive Capital, TPG, Wildcat Ventures, Xfund, Andy Katz - Mayfield, Bryan Bulte, Dmitry Dakhnovsky, Eric Feng, Jonathan Neman, MG Siegler, Nir Eyal, Patrick S. Chung, Scott Belsky, Tien Tzuo, Tony Jamous, Will Gaybrick, Will Herman
Sep 1, 2015	$7.0M Series A	CoinFund, Will Herman
Jul 1, 2014	$2.0M Seed	Accel, Acequia Capital, Amplify Partners, Benchmark, Bling Capital, Blumberg Capital, BoxGroup, Brainchild, Brand Foundry Ventures, Chicago Ventures, Comcast Ventures, Dopamine Ventures, ENIAC Ventures, Entrée Capital Ventures, Fifth Wall, FJ Labs, Forerunner Ventures, Giant Ventures, Goat Capital, Great Oaks Venture Capital, M.G. Siegler, GV, High Alpha, Jazz Venture Partners, Jude Gomila Rolling Fund, Jump Capital, Khosla Ventures, Luv Ventures, Mangrove Capital Partners, Meritech Capital Partners, Offline Ventures, One Way Ventures, Prefix Capital, PSG, Quiet Capital, Red Swan Ventures, Rivet Ventures, Sandwith Ventures, Serena Ventures, Seven Seven Six, Silversmith Capital Partners, Slow Ventures, SNR, Teamworthy Ventures, The Engine, Thrive Capital, TPG, Uncork Capital, Wildcat Ventures, Y Combinator, Andy Katz - Mayfield, Bryan Bulte, Darius Contractor, Joe Caruso, Jonathan Neman, Jonathan Swanson, Joshua Reeves, Jugoslav Petkovic, Kulveer Taggar, MG Siegler, Naveen Jain, Nir Eyal, Sam Altman, Scott Belsky, Sumon Sadhu, Tien Tzuo, Will Gaybrick, Will Herman

Financial History

Amino Apps has raised $73.0M across 4 funding rounds.

Total Raised

$73.0M

Valuation

N/A

Deep Dive

High-Level Overview

Amino Apps, developed by Narvii Inc., is a mobile-first social platform that builds a network of niche, interest-based communities where users connect over passions like anime, K-pop, gaming, and Minecraft[1][2][3][4]. It serves global fans, primarily teens and young adults aged 12+, by enabling content sharing (blogs, polls, quizzes), chats, live videos, and customization in topic-specific "Aminos," solving the problem of fragmented online communities in a mobile-native world[2][4][5][6]. Early growth was strong, with over 500,000 downloads across initial apps by 2014, and users averaging 70 minutes per session; the platform was acquired by MediaLab.AI in early 2021[1][2][6].

Origin Story

Amino Apps emerged in 2011-2012 when co-founders Ben Anderson (ex-PayPal, college entrepreneur) and Yin Wang attended an anime convention, spotting demand for mobile communities tailored to niche fandoms like Whovians, anime, and K-pop[1][3][6]. Starting as separate iOS apps (Android soon after) on a shared platform for rapid deployment, it networked communities with single login and deep linking, attracting Series A investment from Union Square Ventures, Google Ventures, SV Angel, and others[1][3]. Pivotal early traction included 500,000+ downloads across 10+ apps, evolving from app "constellations" to a unified portal while retaining standalone options[1][6].

Core Differentiators

Mobile-First Architecture: Hyper-specific apps or Aminos for niches outperform general platforms, with easy deployment for hundreds of communities and cross-app networking (single login, deep links)[1][6].
Rich User Engagement: Blogs, polls, quizzes, live chats, screening rooms, and customizable profiles foster creativity, discussions, and real-time interaction in mini-social networks per community[2][4][6].
Niche Focus and Global Reach: Targets passionate hobbyists worldwide (NYC/Shanghai offices, multi-language support), differing from Reddit via mobile aesthetics, features, and user-generated content[2][3][5][6].
Monetization and Moderation: Investor-funded initially, shifting to digital goods revenue shared with community leaders; each Amino has its own rules and moderators[3][6].

Role in the Broader Tech Landscape

Amino rides the mobile-first social networking trend, capitalizing on fandom consolidation in apps amid desktop-to-mobile shifts, where niche communities thrive over broad ones[1]. Timing aligned with 2010s app store dominance by giants, enabling "app constellations" to compete via specificity; market forces like rising K-pop/anime globalization and live video demand boosted it[1][2][4]. It influences the ecosystem by empowering user-led creativity, education, and global connections, prefiguring decentralized social models while integrating into MediaLab post-2021 acquisition[2][6].

Quick Take & Future Outlook

Post-acquisition, Amino likely integrates deeper into MediaLab's AI-driven media tools, expanding live features, East Asian adaptations, and partnerships for sustained growth in niche social[2]. Trends like AI-moderation, AR fan experiences, and Web3 communities could amplify its ecosystem, evolving influence toward hybrid virtual hangouts. As mobile fandoms intensify, Amino's foundational bet on hyper-specific passion networks positions it to redefine immersive, global subcultures—echoing its convention-sparked origins in a more connected world.

Sources

Frequently Asked Questions

How much funding has Amino Apps raised?

Amino Apps has raised $73.0M in total across 4 funding rounds.

Who are Amino Apps's investors?

Amino Apps's investors include Blumberg Capital, CoinFund, Comcast Ventures, Dawn Capital, ENIAC Ventures, Entrée Capital Ventures, Forerunner Ventures, Goat Capital, Goodwater Capital, M.G. Siegler, GV, Mathias Schilling.