Make & Watch Fun Videos
Swerve is an app where you can make & watch fun videos with your friends.
Snap a quick video, and choose what you want to see next. Swerve makes it happen!
Key people at Swerve.
Swerve was founded in 2025 by Soroush Saryazdi (Founder) and Jason Zhou (Founder).
Swerve was founded in 2025 by Soroush Saryazdi (Founder) and Jason Zhou (Founder).
Swerve is a mobile video platform that lets users create and share short, interactive video experiences with friends. The app enables users to “snap” quick videos and then choose what they want to see next—whether it’s a friend’s response, a trending clip, or an AI-generated video—making content creation social, playful, and highly engaging. It serves Gen Z and young millennial audiences who enjoy expressive, low-friction video formats similar to Stories or Shorts, but with a stronger emphasis on real-time interaction and shared narratives.
Swerve positions itself at the intersection of social video, AI creativity, and friend-driven content discovery. By combining lightweight AI tools with a feed of user-generated and trending videos, it aims to capture attention in the crowded short-form video space. The app has gained early momentum through its presence on iOS, support from Y Combinator, and visibility in startup and creator communities, suggesting strong product-led growth potential in the social entertainment category.
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Swerve was founded by Soroush Saryazdi and Jason Zhou, who met through the startup ecosystem and shared a vision for reimagining how friends interact through video. Both founders have technical and product backgrounds, with experience in building consumer-facing apps and platforms that emphasize real-time interaction and creative expression.
The idea for Swerve emerged from observing how people increasingly communicate through short videos but still lack intuitive tools to make those exchanges feel collaborative and fun. Inspired by the rise of ephemeral content, AI-generated media, and interactive formats, the duo set out to build an app where video isn’t just consumed—it’s co-created. They launched Swerve as a Y Combinator–backed startup, quickly releasing an iOS app that lets users record clips, chain responses with friends, and explore trending content, all within a single streamlined interface.
Early traction came from organic sharing among friend groups, viral loops around AI-powered video effects, and strong engagement metrics typical of successful social apps. Their appearance in YC’s portfolio and coverage in startup-focused outlets signaled investor interest in their take on the next generation of social video.
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Swerve is riding three major trends reshaping digital entertainment: the dominance of short-form video, the mainstream adoption of AI in content creation, and the growing demand for more intimate, friend-centric social experiences. As attention fragments across platforms, users are increasingly drawn to apps that feel personal, playful, and participatory—exactly the niche Swerve targets.
The timing is particularly favorable. With TikTok facing regulatory scrutiny and Instagram Reels/X/YouTube Shorts leaning heavily into algorithmic discovery, there’s room for a platform that prioritizes real relationships and interactive storytelling. Swerve also taps into the broader shift toward AI-native apps, where generative models aren’t just add-ons but core to the user experience.
By focusing on mobile-first, AI-enhanced video that’s easy to create and fun to share among friends, Swerve contributes to the evolution of social apps from broadcast-style feeds to collaborative, interactive spaces. If it can scale while preserving its tight social graph and creative energy, it could become a meaningful player in the next wave of social video platforms.
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Swerve’s path forward hinges on scaling its user base while maintaining high engagement and a strong sense of community. The next critical steps will likely include expanding beyond iOS, deepening AI capabilities (e.g., more personalized effects, avatars, or collaborative editing), and exploring monetization through branded challenges, virtual goods, or partnerships with creators.
As AI lowers the cost of content creation and users seek more authentic, relationship-driven experiences online, Swerve is well-positioned to capture a segment of the market that values fun, spontaneity, and shared moments over pure virality. If the team can execute on distribution—leveraging YC’s network, influencer collaborations, and viral mechanics—they could evolve from a niche friend-chat app into a broader social video destination.
In a world where every platform wants to be *the* place for video, Swerve’s bet is that the future of fun isn’t just about watching—it’s about playing together.
Key people at Swerve.
