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Skout

Topic: Company

 From HandWiki - Reading time: 4 min
Short description: Social networking website
Skout
TypePrivate
IndustrySoftware development
Founded(2007 (2007))
Founder
  • Christian Wiklund
  • Niklas Lindstrom
Headquarters
San Francisco
,
United States
Key people
  • Christian Wiklund, (CEO)
  • Niklas Lindstrom, (CTO)
Products
  • SKOUT
  • Fuse
  • Nixter
Websiteskout.com

SKOUT is the developer of a location-based social networking and dating application and website. SKOUT was one of the first dating and mobile people discovery applications to emphasize generalized user location.[1] SKOUT is available on both iOS and Android operating systems. Other SKOUT properties include Nixter, a nightlife app,[2] and Fuse, an ephemeral group messaging app.[3] SKOUT reported that over 500 million connections were made using its app in 2013.[4]

SKOUT uses a cellphone's global positioning system to help users to find other users within a general radius of one another.[5] SKOUT does not identify a user's precise location, and users can choose to opt out of the location-tracking features of the app.[6] GPS location is only enabled in the adult community. While searching for people, users can view the profile and recent activities of others that they find interesting.[1] The application also allows users to instant message or send virtual gifts to one another.[7] The company segregates its adult and teen communities.[8] SKOUT is available in 189 countries and 16 languages.[4]

History

The service was founded as a mobile web social network in 2007 by Christian Wiklund and Niklas Lindstrom.[9] The two, Skout's chief executive officer and chief technology officer respectively, relaunched the network in 2009 as a dating and people discovery application and website after recognizing over 80% of the site's users were using it as a dating platform.[7] SKOUT launched its iOS application in February 2009 at the 2009 DEMO conference.[10] At the time, SKOUT was available for users on non-iOS mobile internet devices through its website.[7] Skout's Android app launched in August 2010.[11]

SKOUT raised $22 million in venture capital from Andreessen Horowitz in April 2012.[9] Prior to this investment, SKOUT had raised a collective $4.6 million in angel investment.[9] In June 2012, SKOUT suspended its service for minors, after three separate incidents in which minors were allegedly raped by adults posing as teenagers.[12][13] It later resumed its services for teenagers in July 2012 with after introducing additional safety measures.[14]

SKOUT announced a travel feature that allows users to meet people in another city while traveling in 2013.[15] SKOUT Travel is a premium paid feature.[15] Another feature available on SKOUT is "Shake to Chat."[16] Shake to Chat connects users to others who are shaking their phones at the same time.[16] User profiles are anonymous for 40 seconds after the Shake to Chat conversation begins.[17] In 2015, SKOUT launched Interested? - it uses the ‘Meet People’ search settings and instantly matches Skouters who share similar interests. SKOUT extended its services from 14 languages to 16 languages including Malay and Vietnamese in 2016.[18][19]

In May 2014, the company acquired Nixter, a nightlife app which allows users to find nightlife events, buy tickets, and see guest lists for events in New York City, San Francisco, and Los Angeles.[2] SKOUT launched Fuse, an app that gives users tools to construct their own social network that functions off the address book on their smartphone or tablet, in June 2014.[20] In 2015, SKOUT announced that it had reached more than 10 million members.[21]

Funding

SKOUT has received $22 million in investment from Andreessen Horowitz and has been funded by early-stage investors including Jan Brandt, former vice chair of AOL; Jarl Mohn, founding president and CEO of Liberty Digital; and Hans Akerblom, founder and chair of Scandinavian Leadership AB.[9] The board of directors includes, in addition to the founders, Stan Chudvosky, Scott Weiss, Herbert Madan and Board Observer Marc Andresseen. SKOUT reported that it became profitable in December 2013.[4][22]

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 JP Manninen (2 July 2010). "One million singles sign up for Skout dating app". VentureBeat. https://venturebeat.com/2010/07/02/one-million-sign-up-for-skout/. 
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 Kim-Mai Cutler (5 May 2014). "Mobile Social Networking App Skout Acquires Nightlife App Nixter". TechCrunch. https://techcrunch.com/2014/05/05/skout-nixter/. 
  3. ↑ Kim-Mai Cutler (19 June 2014). "Skout Launches Fuse, An Ephemeral Messaging App That Makes Group Chats Explode". TechCrunch. https://techcrunch.com/2014/06/19/andreessen-fuse/. 
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 Dylan Tweney (2 May 2014). "These nerds want to put your bored ass in a hot nightclub". VentureBeat. https://venturebeat.com/2014/05/02/these-nerds-want-to-put-your-bored-ass-in-a-hot-nightclub/. 
  5. ↑ Rosenbloom, Stephanie (21 July 2010). "The New Dating Tools: A Card and a Wink". The New York Times. https://www.nytimes.com/2010/07/22/fashion/22date.html?_r=1. 
  6. ↑ Robin Wauters (3 April 2012). "Location-based flirting app Skout hooks up with Andreessen Horowitz, scores $22 million". The Next Web. https://thenextweb.com/insider/2012/04/03/location-based-flirting-app-skout-hooks-up-with-andreessen-horowitz-scores-22-million/. 
  7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 MG Siegler (21 January 2009). "Skout brings location-based dating to the iPhone". VentureBeat. https://venturebeat.com/2009/01/21/skout-brings-location-based-dating-to-the-iphone/. 
  8. ↑ Jessica Guynn (12 July 2012). "Skout CEO Christian Wiklund: Mobile app to reopen safer for teens". Los Angeles Times. http://articles.latimes.com/2012/jul/12/business/la-fi-tn-skout-ceo-christian-wiklund-mobile-app-reopening-safer-for-teens20120712. 
  9. ↑ 9.0 9.1 9.2 9.3 Patrick Hoge (3 April 2012). "Skout finds a way through tough times". San Francisco Business Times. http://www.bizjournals.com/sanfrancisco/blog/2012/04/skout-andreessen-horowitz-location-based.html?page=all. 
  10. ↑ DEMO 2009 Wraps Up. BusinessWeek (2009-03-04). Retrieved on 2013-07-30.
  11. ↑ Emory Kale (2 August 2010). "GPS killer app: stalking, er, I mean flirting". TG Daily. http://www.tgdaily.com/mobility-features/50914-gps-killer-app-stalking-er-i-mean-flirting. 
  12. ↑ "Skout dating app suspends teen service after rape allegations". BBC. 13 June 2012. https://www.bbc.com/news/technology-18423498. 
  13. ↑ "Skout dating app suspends service for teens amid rape allegations". Los Angeles Times. 13 June 2012. http://articles.latimes.com/2012/jun/13/business/la-fi-skout-20120613. 
  14. ↑ "Blog update". http://blog.skout.com/2012/07/13/teens-welcome-back-to-skout/. 
  15. ↑ 15.0 15.1 Kim-Mai Cutler (6 September 2013). "With 3X The Active Users From A Year Ago, Skout Launches A Feature For Traveling Vagabonds". TechCrunch. https://techcrunch.com/2013/09/06/skout/. 
  16. ↑ 16.0 16.1 Ellen Lee (25 March 2013). "Skout introduces people via smartphone". SFGate. http://www.sfgate.com/business/ontherecord/article/Skout-introduces-people-via-smartphone-4383545.php. 
  17. ↑ "Shake to Chat in iOS update – 3.2". The Skout Blog. 31 October 2012. http://blog.skout.com/tag/shake-to-chat/. 
  18. ↑ "AsiaNet - View Release". https://www.asianetnews.net/view-release?pr-id=63305. 
  19. ↑ "SKOUT's Rapid Growth in Malaysia Prompts the Company to Offer the App in Malay-PR Newswire Asia-Newswire". http://en.prnasia.com/story/142040-0.shtml. 
  20. ↑ Richard Bern Reilly, Venture Beat."/ Skout launches Fuse, a funky mobile network for people on the go."June 19, 2014. Retrieved June 19, 2104.
  21. ↑ "An App That Connects Travelers With Locals". The New York Times. 3 March 2015. http://intransit.blogs.nytimes.com/2015/03/03/an-app-that-connects-travelers-with-locals/?_r=1. 
  22. ↑ "Skout reaps rewards of connecting people". Upstart Business Journal. 28 June 2015. http://upstart.bizjournals.com/companies/startups/2015/06/28/skout-reaps-rewards-of-connecting-people.html?page=all. 

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