Social discovery app Hunch bags $23M in Series A funding
The funding will fuel the app's launch in the US and its expansion in the Indian market.
New-age social discovery app has secured $23 million in Series A funding led by Alpha Wave, , and other investors.
The Dubai-based company plans to use the funding to launch the app in the United States and expand in the Indian market.
The platform promotes open and anonymous discussions, allowing users to create polls that garner votes and comments on various topics, such as pop culture, gaming, finance, dating, relationships, and anime.
“I am thrilled to have new funding especially at a time when Hunch is scaling across US and India. We believe Hunch has achieved PMF, and this is a good time to celebrate this news with the community. We are extremely grateful for all the support received from our investors, especially through the last year,” said Ish Goel, Co-founder and CEO of Hunch.
Founded in 2022 by Ish Goel, Nitika Goel, and Kartic Rakhra, Hunch is headquartered in Dubai, with offices in India and Singapore.
Hunch allows users to engage anonymously while expressing opinions through polls. The polls then enable users to validate their opinions and connect with like-minded individuals. It claims to have generated over 6.4 lakh polls to date, garnering over 25 million opinions through user votes nationwide.
“This investment underscores our commitment to making Hunch the go-to destination for authentic, meaningful connections for young adults. With their support, we are better positioned to drive our vision of connecting people from all corners of the globe without fear of judgement or pretence,” said Ish Goel.
Hunch enhances user engagement by offering a platform to seek answers to questions that may be challenging to pose in real-life scenarios. Each poll allows them to form judgement-free conversations, mainly to explore perspectives and connect with others anonymously.
“Consumer social expects a rejig every few years, and Hunch is poised to drive that change. With fatigue growing among Gen Z around apps that promote vicarious living, there is a big opportunity to build something that promotes being real without the filters,” said Tak Lee, CEO & Managing Partner at Hashed Emergent.
The app leverages GenAI to address societal pressure for a perfect profile picture. For instance, after answering 15 poll questions, users will receive an AI-generated avatar, eliminating the need for a real photo and relieving concerns about selecting a good profile picture.
The startup plans to introduce new features based on user insights to enhance the platform's appeal and value for its growing user base.
Edited by Megha Reddy