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YouNow

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uuid0006zqv

Namestring
YouNow
Legal namestring
YouNow
Websiteurl
younow.com
Company typeenum
Private
Founded yearint
2011
Descriptiontext

YouNow is a New York-based, privately held live streaming platform founded in 2011. It enables users to broadcast real-time video content from mobile or web devices and engage audiences through integrated live chat. The company operates a single core product (also named YouNow) without documented sub-modules or adjacent product lines, and has a companion mobile application. No pricing details, customer segments, or revenue mechanics are publicly disclosed in the available sources, and the company does not surface named enterprise customers, partnerships, or channel relationships.

YouNow has raised approximately $26 million in disclosed funding across four rounds between 2011 and 2015, with investors including Union Square Ventures, Founder Collective, Venrock, Comcast Ventures, and Silicon Alley Venture Partners. The 2015 round, led by Venrock, is the largest at $15 million. In March 2013 the company acquired blogTV, an early consolidation of a comparable live-video community. The executive team is led by CEO Jon Brodsky, with a dedicated Head of Business Development (Hasan Dimitrz), and headcount sits at 51-100 employees.

From a competitive-position standpoint, YouNow is a first-mover in the live social video category ("world's first live social network," per company materials) but operates against much larger incumbents in TikTok Live, Twitch, and YouTube Live. The business model is not documented in the source data; standard live-streaming monetization (virtual gifting, advertising, subscriptions) can be inferred but is not confirmed. The company is presently operating, private, and headquartered in New York, United States.

Short descriptiontext

YouNow is a New York-based live streaming platform founded in 2011 that enables users to broadcast real-time video from mobile or web and engage audiences via live chat, serving individual broadcasters and viewers in the consumer social video market.

Operating statusenum
Operating
Ownership categoryenum
Headcount rangeband
51–100
akta.pro rankint
HeadquartersNew York, United States
HQ citystring
New York
HQ countrystring
United States
HQ regionstring
North America
Markets served

Serves global market

Keyword5 values
live streaming platform, live video broadcasting, real-time social network, interactive live video, mobile live streaming
Industry2 codes
1Generalist Live Streaming Platforms (Multi-Category)
CodeMPACACAAPrimaryYes
2Live Streaming & Webcasting Platforms
CodeBPAMAJABPrimaryNo
NAICS code1 code
  • Media Streaming Distribution Services, Social Networks, and Other Media Networks and Content Providers516210
SIC code1 code
  • Communications Services, Nec4899
Product category
Live Streaming Platform
Social media profiles3 records
Cost components4 values
Technology or R&D, Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales
GTM typeB2C
B2C
Offering typeDigital Commerce or Conte…
Digital Commerce or Content
Core offering1 text field

YouNow operates a unified live streaming platform that enables individuals to broadcast real-time video content from mobile or web devices. The platform connects broadcasters with viewers through interactive live streams with chat functionality, positioning itself as the world's first live social network.

Differentiator
Functional benefit
Problem solved
Product overview1 text field

YouNow is a single unified live streaming product that allows users to broadcast real-time video content directly from mobile or web devices. The platform connects broadcasters with viewers through interactive live streams with chat functionality. Based on the available source data, YouNow operates as a standalone live streaming application without additional modules or sub-products described.

Product and service1 record
1YouNow
CategoryLive Streaming Platform
Description

A live streaming platform that enables users to broadcast real-time video content to audiences, interact through chat, and engage with viewers during live streams; accessible via mobile and web.

Recent move5 records

Each record includes

Date, Type, Title, Description, Source

Expansion highlight4 records

Each record includes

Type, Description

Peers9 records
1Twitch
TypeBroad incumbent
Description

Amazon-owned live streaming platform that began with gaming but has expanded into IRL and general creator live content — directly overlapping with YouNow's generalist live broadcast proposition, though at vastly greater scale.

2TikTok Live
TypeBroad incumbent
Description

ByteDance's live-streaming surface embedded in TikTok; competes for the same creator and viewer attention as YouNow in the generalist IRL/social live category, with massively larger distribution.

3Instagram Live
TypeBroad incumbent
Description

Meta's live broadcasting feature inside Instagram; competes head-on for casual IRL/lifestyle live streamers and uses Instagram's social graph as a built-in distribution advantage over independent platforms like YouNow.

4YouTube Live
TypeBroad incumbent
Description

Google's live streaming offering layered onto the world's largest video platform; shares YouNow's generalist positioning and dwarfs it on creator monetization, search discovery, and ad inventory.

5Bigo Live
TypeDirect peer
Description

Generalist live streaming platform focused on social broadcasting and IRL content with strong international reach; closely mirrors YouNow's product model of mobile-first live social broadcasting.

6LiveMe
TypeDirect peer
Description

Mobile live streaming social app targeting general audiences with broadcaster-to-viewer chat and gifting; shares YouNow's positioning as a mobile-native generalist live social network.

7Periscope
TypeDirect peer
Description

Twitter-acquired live streaming app (now sunset as a standalone) that was one of YouNow's closest conceptual peers; useful as a comparable for the live social network thesis and its strategic exit path.

8Facebook Live
TypeBroad incumbent
Description

Meta's live streaming feature embedded in Facebook's social graph; competes with YouNow for the same general-audience IRL broadcaster demographic, with structural distribution advantages.

9Klarna / Streams
TypeOthers
Description

Not a direct peer — placeholder removed. See streaming-comparable list above.

Market position
Strengths4 records

Each record includes

Headline, Details, Source

Weaknesses4 records

Each record includes

Headline, Details, Source

Competitive moat3 records

Each record includes

Type, Details

Key risks5 records

Each record includes

Headline, Details, Source

Key highlights6 records

Each record includes

Headline, Details, Source

Customer concentration

Classification, Details

Ideal customer profile1 record

Each record includes

Profile, Firmographic size, Sales motion, Sales cycle length, Buying structure, Purchase trigger, Buyer persona, Geography, Industry vertical, Primary use case, Description, Pain points, Evidence proof points, Target buyer

Technology focused
Yes
API detail
Has APIbool
No

Docs URL, Description

AI maturity
App detail

Has app

Core technology
Revenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Number of profiles
Profiles2 records

Each record includes

Name, Designation, Designation category, Overview, Profile commentary, Source

No data
No data
Funding overview

Funding stage, Last funding date, Total funding USD

Funding rounds4 records

Each record includes

Round, Amount USD, Date, Pre money valuation, Total investors, Investors, News

Investors7 records

Each record includes

Name, Type, Date of entry, Rounds participated, Website

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A1 record

Each record includes

Name, Acquisition type, Announced date, Completed date, Status, Website, News

Investment

Each record includes

Name, Round, Announced date, Lead investor, Website, News

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

YouNow

Live Streaming Platformyounow.com

YouNow is a New York-based live streaming platform founded in 2011 that enables users to broadcast real-time video from mobile or web and engage audiences via live chat, serving individual broadcasters and viewers in the consumer social video market.

What YouNow does

YouNow is a New York-based, privately held live streaming platform founded in 2011. It enables users to broadcast real-time video content from mobile or web devices and engage audiences through integrated live chat. The company operates a single core product (also named YouNow) without documented sub-modules or adjacent product lines, and has a companion mobile application. No pricing details, customer segments, or revenue mechanics are publicly disclosed in the available sources, and the company does not surface named enterprise customers, partnerships, or channel relationships.

YouNow has raised approximately $26 million in disclosed funding across four rounds between 2011 and 2015, with investors including Union Square Ventures, Founder Collective, Venrock, Comcast Ventures, and Silicon Alley Venture Partners. The 2015 round, led by Venrock, is the largest at $15 million. In March 2013 the company acquired blogTV, an early consolidation of a comparable live-video community. The executive team is led by CEO Jon Brodsky, with a dedicated Head of Business Development (Hasan Dimitrz), and headcount sits at 51-100 employees.

From a competitive-position standpoint, YouNow is a first-mover in the live social video category ("world's first live social network," per company materials) but operates against much larger incumbents in TikTok Live, Twitch, and YouTube Live. The business model is not documented in the source data; standard live-streaming monetization (virtual gifting, advertising, subscriptions) can be inferred but is not confirmed. The company is presently operating, private, and headquartered in New York, United States.

YouNow firmographics

Firmographics
Name
YouNow
Legal name
YouNow
Website
https://younow.com
Company type
Private
Founded year
2011
Operating status
Operating
Headcount range
51–100 employees
Short description
YouNow is a New York-based live streaming platform founded in 2011 that enables users to broadcast real-time video from mobile or web and engage audiences via live chat, serving individual broadcasters and viewers in the consumer social video market.
Ownership category
akta.pro rank

YouNow industry classification

Industry
Product category
Live Streaming Platform
NAICS
Media Streaming Distribution Services, Social Networks, and Other Media Networks and Content Providers (516210)
SIC
Communications Services, Nec (4899)
akta.pro primary industry
Generalist Live Streaming Platforms (Multi-Category) (MPACACAA)
akta.pro secondary industry
Live Streaming & Webcasting Platforms (BPAMAJAB)

Keywords

  • Live streaming platform
  • Live video broadcasting
  • Real-time social network
  • Interactive live video
  • Mobile live streaming

Where YouNow is headquartered

Location

Headquarters

HQ city
New York
HQ country
United States
HQ region
North America

Markets served

YouNow business model

Business model
GTM type
B2C
Offering type
Digital Commerce or Content
Cost components
Technology or R&D, Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales

YouNow product offering

Product offering

Core offering

YouNow operates a unified live streaming platform that enables individuals to broadcast real-time video content from mobile or web devices. The platform connects broadcasters with viewers through interactive live streams with chat functionality, positioning itself as the world's first live social network.

Product overview

YouNow is a single unified live streaming product that allows users to broadcast real-time video content directly from mobile or web devices. The platform connects broadcasters with viewers through interactive live streams with chat functionality. Based on the available source data, YouNow operates as a standalone live streaming application without additional modules or sub-products described.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

  • YouNow A live streaming platform that enables users to broadcast real-time video content to audiences, interact through chat, and engage with viewers during live streams; accessible via mobile and web.

Companies that use YouNow

Customer profile

Ideal customer profiles1 record

YouNow technology and API

Technology

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API
No
API docs
API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

YouNow partnerships and signals

Strategic signal

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

YouNow competitors and assessment

Company assessment

Broad incumbents

  • Twitch: Amazon-owned live streaming platform that began with gaming but has expanded into IRL and general creator live content — directly overlapping with YouNow's generalist live broadcast proposition, though at vastly greater scale.
  • TikTok Live: ByteDance's live-streaming surface embedded in TikTok; competes for the same creator and viewer attention as YouNow in the generalist IRL/social live category, with massively larger distribution.
  • Instagram Live: Meta's live broadcasting feature inside Instagram; competes head-on for casual IRL/lifestyle live streamers and uses Instagram's social graph as a built-in distribution advantage over independent platforms like YouNow.
  • YouTube Live: Google's live streaming offering layered onto the world's largest video platform; shares YouNow's generalist positioning and dwarfs it on creator monetization, search discovery, and ad inventory.
  • Facebook Live: Meta's live streaming feature embedded in Facebook's social graph; competes with YouNow for the same general-audience IRL broadcaster demographic, with structural distribution advantages.

Direct peers

  • Bigo Live: Generalist live streaming platform focused on social broadcasting and IRL content with strong international reach; closely mirrors YouNow's product model of mobile-first live social broadcasting.
  • LiveMe: Mobile live streaming social app targeting general audiences with broadcaster-to-viewer chat and gifting; shares YouNow's positioning as a mobile-native generalist live social network.
  • Periscope: Twitter-acquired live streaming app (now sunset as a standalone) that was one of YouNow's closest conceptual peers; useful as a comparable for the live social network thesis and its strategic exit path.

Others

  • Klarna / Streams: Not a direct peer — placeholder removed. See streaming-comparable list above.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

YouNow social profiles

Digital presence

YouNow financial estimates

Financial estimate

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

YouNow leadership team

Management profile

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

YouNow funding detail

Funding detail

Funding overview

Funding rounds4 records

Investors7 records

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

YouNow M&A and investment

M&A and investment

M&A1 record

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about YouNow

What does YouNow do?

YouNow operates a unified live streaming platform that enables individuals to broadcast real-time video content from mobile or web devices. The platform connects broadcasters with viewers through interactive live streams with chat functionality, positioning itself as the world's first live social network.

Is YouNow a public or private company?

YouNow is a private company. It is classified as venture growth investor backed and is currently operating.

When was YouNow founded?

YouNow was founded in 2011. It employs 51 to 100 people.

Where is YouNow based?

YouNow is headquartered in New York, United States, in the North America region.

Who are YouNow's main competitors?

Broad incumbents on record are Twitch, TikTok Live, Instagram Live, YouTube Live and Facebook Live. Direct peers are Bigo Live, LiveMe and Periscope. Klarna / Streams is listed as an others.

Does YouNow have an API?

No public API is recorded for YouNow.

What industry is YouNow in?

YouNow's product category is Live Streaming Platform. Its primary akta.pro industry code is MPACACAA, Generalist Live Streaming Platforms (Multi-Category), with a secondary code of BPAMAJAB, Live Streaming & Webcasting Platforms. Its NAICS code is 516210 and its SIC code is 4899.

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Live signals
BitdefenderWhat Parents Need to Know about YouNow: Privacy, Risks, and Safety SettingsYouNow is a live-streaming platform where users broadcast long-form videos, and the app collects personal data and user-generated content. It poses privacy risks, including exposure to inappropriate content and interactions with strangers, and live broadcasts remain on profiles for three days. Parents are advised to set privacy settings and use parental control tools.TechCrunchBackstage Interview with YouNowThe article is a video description for a backstage interview with the founder of YouNow, recorded after his pitch at the Startup Battlefield during TechCrunch Disrupt San Francisco in 2011. The content consists primarily of metadata and unrelated site navigation elements rather than substantive reporting on a specific event or development. No active companies beyond YouNow are materially involved in a reported event within the text.Adam MendlerInterview: Jon Brodsky, CEO of YouNowJon Brodsky, CEO of YouNow, discussed his career path from private equity to operations, including roles at Allmenus, 1-800-flowers, and Chicken Soup for the Soul. He emphasized consistency and experimentation as key to scaling, and advised leaders to focus on daily KPIs rather than OKRs. He also noted augmented reality may become standard in 20 years.PR NewswireLa streamer de YouNow Ariana Godoy y la novela más vendida (A través de mi Ventana) se convertirá en una película de Netflix.YouNow streamer Ariana Godoy, who began publishing stories on Wattpad, has had her novel 'A través de mi Ventana' adapted into a Netflix film, produced by Nostromo Pictures and published by Alfaguara (Penguin Random House España). The book follows Raquel, who falls for her neighbor Ares and creates a plan to win his affection, with director Marçal Forés (known for 'Animales') at the helm. Ariana Godoy has accumulated over 745,000 readers on Wattpad and more than 5,000 live views per YouNow broadcast.openPR.comLive Streaming Video Platform Market Is Booming Worldwide | Twitch, YouTube, Facebook, Periscope, YounowHTF Market Intelligence released a comprehensive market study on the global live streaming video platform industry, projecting growth from 2018 to 2025. The report analyzes key players including Twitch, YouTube, Facebook, and Tencent across various regions such as North America, Europe, and Asia-Pacific. It provides detailed competitive landscape data, revenue figures, and forecasts for market segments like SaaS models and enterprise applications.TubefilterYouNow Launches Second Crypto-Based App, A Streaming Quiz Game Called ‘WTF’YouNow launched WTF, a streaming quiz game where players earn Ethereum prizes, marking its second crypto-based app. The game features rotating comic hosts and has 1,000 winning users since its July beta. It is available on iOS and will roll out to Android soon.CNETYouTube star Phil DeFranco wants a cryptocurrency to pay youYouTube star Phil DeFranco is advising and investing in Props, a cryptocurrency that rewards creators on the live-video app Rize. Rize opens to the public on Feb. 23, and DeFranco plans to use the token. The project aims to decentralize online video revenue, with YouNow's team behind it.The IndependentHannah Stone: Popular teenage vlogger dies suddenlyHannah Stone, a 16-year-old YouNow vlogger from New York, died suddenly on Wednesday, two weeks before her 17th birthday. She took her own life, and her obituary said she passed away with her family by her side. Her song '5quad' had 72,000 views, and fans expressed condolences.The Irish SunHannah Stone dead at 16 – YouNow vlogger and 5quad singer dies two weeks before her 17th birthdayHannah Stone, a 16-year-old YouNow vlogger and singer, died in a Syracuse hospital two weeks before her 17th birthday. She had 375,000 followers and her song '5quad' was viewed 72,000 times on YouTube. Reports indicate she took her own life.PapermagYouNow Teen Star Zach Clayton on Pivoting to Music and Handling the Stress of LivestreamsZach Clayton, a 17-year-old YouNow star, discussed his livestreaming career, music, and tour plans. He has 1.5 million followers and 33 million views, and his debut EP 'Kick It with Me' received one million views in a month. He is finalizing a 12-date tour and considering a Christmas cover.