GroupMe

GroupMeFile:GroupMe gradient logo.svg

Type of business| Subsidiary
Founded| May 2010; 16 years ago (2010-05)
Headquarters|

New York City

United States

Owner| Microsoft (through Microsoft AI)
Key people| Jared Hecht
Steve Martocci
Website| groupme.com

GroupMe (also stylized as groupme) is a mobile group messaging app owned by Microsoft. It was launched in May 2010 by the private company GroupMe.[1][2] In August 2011, GroupMe delivered over 100 million messages each month[3] and by June 2012, that number jumped to 550 million.[4] In 2013, GroupMe had over 12 million registered users.[5]

In March 2024, reports noted that while Microsoft had discontinued development of Skype for consumers, it continued to actively support GroupMe. The app received recent updates and was highlighted as a messaging platform still maintained by Microsoft, contrasting with the declining attention given to Skype.[6]

## Contents

* 1 History
* 2 Usage
* 3 See also
* 4 References
* 5 External links

## History

Template:Skype Limited Grouply, the app that would become GroupMe, was created in May 2010, at a hackathon at the TechCrunch Disrupt conference.[7] Its creators, Jared Hecht and Steve Martocci intended the app to replace email chains as a method of communication. After investors took notice of the app, Hecht and Martocci took a loan from Hecht's parents and began working on their app full-time.[8] The name was changed to GroupMe in August. The same month, GroupMe raised $85,000 from investors. The app was released on the App Store in October 2010.[9]

In January 2011, GroupMe received US$10.6 million in venture capital from Khosla Ventures, General Catalyst Partners, angel investors, and others.[9][10] In August 2011, Skype acquired the one-year-old start-up for around $80 million.[11] Skype had itself been purchased by Microsoft in May 2011, with the purchase finalized in October 2011.[12] The app underwent a redesign in late 2012.[13]

Initially, groups were limited to 100 members, but a support request could get a group's limit raised as high as necessary as it approached the limit. In 2019, GroupMe stopped offering group member limit increases; however, the app increased the standard limit from 100 to 5000.[14]

Following Skype's downfall and subsequent shutdown, GroupMe would not shut down but rather be moved under the Microsoft AI division and will be integrated with services such as Microsoft Copilot.[15][16]

## Usage

GroupMe works by downloading the app or accessing the service online, and then creating an account by providing your name, cell phone number, and password, or connecting through a Facebook or Twitter account.[17] The service then syncs with your contacts and from that point forward the user can make groups, limited to 5000 members. An individual who is part of an active group has the ability to turn off notifications for the app; users will still receive the message, but will not be notified about it. Each group is given a label and assigned a unique number. Some of the features of the app include the ability to share photos, videos, locations, create events, and emojis from various packs.

GroupMe has a web client as well as apps for iOS, Android, Windows Phone, and Windows 10. GroupMe messages can be received and sent through SMS (available only in the United States).[18] Users begin by creating a “group” and adding contacts. When someone sends a message, everyone in the group can see and respond to it. The app allows users to attach and send pictures, documents, videos, and web links. Users can also send private messages, but only to users who are also active on the GroupMe app.[19]

GroupMe has been studied as a communication tool in higher education settings. Research has explored its use for facilitating course-related discussions, supporting collaboration in small groups, and supplementing classroom learning in both online and face-to-face contexts.[20] Another study examined how platforms like GroupMe can support literacy learning by encouraging communication in multiple modes, including text and images, framing this form of digital discourse as a legitimate academic genre.[21]

## See also

* Comparison of cross-platform instant messaging clients
* Comparison of instant messaging protocols
* Comparison of Internet Relay Chat clients
* Comparison of LAN messengers
* Comparison of VoIP software
* List of SIP software
* List of video telecommunication services and product brands

## References

1. ↑ "About GroupMe". https://groupme.com/en-US/.
2. ↑ "Inception: A Hackday Dream (The Story Of GroupMe)". Tech Crunch. 26 August 2010. https://techcrunch.com/2010/08/26/inception-a-hackday-dream-the-story-of-groupme/.
3. ↑ Shontell, Alyson. "A Year In The Life Of An $11 Million Startup, GroupMe". Business Insider. http://www.businessinsider.com/groupme-2011-8#present-groupme-turns-one-with-millions-of-users-in-90-countries-16.
4. ↑ Wauters, Robin (July 18, 2012). "GroupMe has 4.6m users sending 550m messages per month, court documents show". The Next Web. https://thenextweb.com/insider/2012/07/18/groupme-has-4-6m-users-sending-550m-messages-per-month-court-documents-show/.
5. ↑ "GroupMe compared to competitors". https://pando.com/2013/10/08/can-groupme-still-compete-in-the-messaging-wars/.
6. ↑ Thurrott, Paul (2024-03-14). "Microsoft Killed Skype But Keeps Supporting GroupMe". https://www.thurrott.com/cloud/318434/microsoft-killed-skype-but-keeps-supporting-groupme.
7. ↑ Arrington, Michael (25 August 2011). "GroupMe, Born At TechCrunch Disrupt, Secures Funding And Launches". https://techcrunch.com/2010/08/25/groupme-born-at-techcrunch-disrupt-secures-funding-and-launches/.
8. ↑ Shontell, Alyson. "How GroupMe Sold For $85 Million Just 370 Days After Launch" (in en-US). https://www.businessinsider.com/what-is-groupme?op=1#july-2010-hecht-and-martocci-leave-their-jobs-and-take-a-real-stab-at-groupme-3.
9. ↑ 9.0 9.1 Shontell, Alyson (22 August 2011). "How GroupMe Sold For $85 Million Just 370 Days After Launch". https://www.businessinsider.com/what-is-groupme.
10. ↑ Wortham, Jenna (10 March 2011). "Start-Ups Are in a Rush to Bring the Chat Room to the Smartphone". The New York Times. https://www.nytimes.com/2011/03/11/technology/11group.html.
11. ↑ Ante, Spencer E. (22 August 2011). "Skype to Acquire Start-Up GroupMe". The Wall Street Journal. https://www.wsj.com/articles/SB10001424053111903327904576522964260277734.
12. ↑ "GroupMe, Gilt Groupe, Jon Bon Jovi Launch SummerQAmp To Create More Quality Assurance Jobs". TechCrunch. 2012-03-07. https://techcrunch.com/2012/03/07/groupme-gilt-group-jon-bon-jovi-come-together-to-offer-qa-internships-to-americas-youth-through-summerqamp/.
13. ↑ Megan Rose Dickey (2012-11-07). "GroupMe Chat App Gets A New Look". Business Insider. http://www.businessinsider.com/groupme-chat-app-redesign-2012-11.
14. ↑ "How do I increase a group limit in GroupMe?". GroupMe. https://help.groupme.com/hc/en-us/articles/217104787-How-do-I-increase-a-group-limit-in-GroupMe-.
15. ↑ "Copilot has entered the chat - GroupMe" (in en). https://groupme.com/blog/copilot-has-entered-the-groupme-chat.
16. ↑ "Microsoft AI" (in en-US). https://microsoft.ai/.
17. ↑ "GroupMe - Group text messaging with GroupMe". https://groupme.com/.
18. ↑ "Do I need a smartphone to use GroupMe?" (in en-US). http://help.groupme.com/hc/en-us/articles/217104147.
19. ↑ Jacobsson, Sarah (2012-02-26). "GroupMe App Review: Perfect for Coordinating With Friends | TechHive". Pcworld.com. http://www.pcworld.com/article/250439/groupme_app_review_perfect_for_coordinating_with_friends.html.
20. ↑ Green, Tara; Green, Jeffrey (2019). "Use of a mobile group text messaging app to facilitate group work in online and face-to-face courses". TechTrends (Springer) 63 (4): 408–415. doi:10.1007/s11528-018-0361-y. https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11528-018-0361-y. Retrieved 2025-03-25.
21. ↑ Ly, Pamela (2020). "Mobile Messaging and Literacy Learning: GroupMe Discourse in a Ninth Grade English Class". Journal of Literacy and Technology 21 (1). http://www.literacyandtechnology.org/uploads/1/3/6/8/136889/jlt_v21_1_ly.pdf. Retrieved 2025-03-25.

## External links

* groupme.com

* v
* t
* e

Instant messaging

Protocols
(comparison)|

| Open|

* IMPP
* IRC
* Matrix
* MTProto
* RetroShare
* Signal Protocol
* SIP
* MSRP
* SIMPLE
* Tox
* XMPP
* Jingle
* WFP
* Zephyr
* DDP

|

Closed|

* MSNP
* OSCAR
* TOC
* Skype

Services|

* Band
* BBM
* Discord
* Facebook Messenger
* FireChat
* GroupMe
* Hike Messenger
* HipChat
* ICQ
* iGap
* iMessage
* IRC Networks
* Jongla
* KakaoTalk
* Kik
* Libon
* Line
* Marco Polo
* Palringo
* Signal
* Skype
* Slack
* Snapchat
* SNOW
* Tango
* Telegram
* QQ
* Textfree/Pinger
* The Palace
* Threema
* Tox
* Trillian
* Upptalk
* Viber
* Virtual Places Chat
* WeChat
* WhatsApp
* Wickr
* Windows Messenger service
* Yahoo Together
* Zulip

Clients
(comparison)|

| Single protocol|

* Allo
* Baidu Hi
* BBM
* CSipSimple
* Facebook Messenger
* FaceTime
* Fetion
* Gadu-Gadu
* GroupMe
* IBM Sametime
* ICQ
* IMVU
* Jami
* Jongla
* Linphone
* Palringo
* RetroShare
* Ricochet
* Riot.im
* Signal
* Skype
* Telegram
* Tencent QQ
* Tox
* WeChat
* WhatsApp
* Wickr
* Wire

|

Multi-protocol|

* Adium
* Ayttm
* BitlBee
* Centericq
* eBuddy
* Empathy
* Fire
* Instantbird
* Jitsi
* Kopete
* Messages/iChat
* Miranda IM
* Nimbuzz
* Pidgin
* QIP 2010
* Skype for Business
* Trillian
* Telepathy
* Upptalk

XMPP (Jabber)|

* Bombus
* ChatSecure
* Conversations
* Gajim
* Psi
* Tkabber
* Spark

MSNP|

* aMSN
* Skype

Defunct|

* List of defunct instant messaging platforms

See also|

* Backchannel
* Chat log
* Chatbot
* Contact list
* Emoticon
* File sharing
* Instant message service center
* LAN messenger
* Messaging apps
* Presence information
* Shoutbox
* SMS language
* Status message
* Videotelephony
* Voice over IP
* Webcam
* U-Report
* Web chat
* Circuit
* FirstClass
* Flock
* Fuze Box
* Glip
* Hall.com
* Yammer

* v
* t
* e

Microsoft

* History
* Outline

People|

| Founders|

* Bill Gates
* Paul Allen

|

Board of directors|

* John W. Thompson (Chairman)
* Satya Nadella (CEO)
* Bill Gates
* Charles Noski
* Helmut Panke
* John W. Stanton
* Reid Hoffman
* Sandi Peterson
* Penny Pritzker
* Charles Scharf
* Arne Sorenson
* Padmasree Warrior

Senior leadership team|

* Satya Nadella (CEO)
* Scott Guthrie
* Amy Hood (CFO)
* Harry Shum
* Phil Spencer

Corporate VPs|

* Joe Belfiore
* Richard Rashid (SVP)
* S. Somasegar (SVP)
* César Cernuda

Products|

| Hardware|

* Azure Kinect
* HoloLens
* LifeCam
* Surface
* Hub
* Go
* Laptop
* Pro
* Studio
* Xbox

|

Operating systems|

* Windows
* Xbox OS

Software|

* Office
* Office 365
* Mobile
* Servers
* Visual Studio

Web properties|

* Azure
* Bing
* Channel 9
* CodePlex
* Developer Network
* Docs
* MSN
* Mixer
* Office.com
* OneDrive
* Outlook.com
* Store
* TechNet
* Translator

Company|

| Conferences|

* Build
* Ignite
* Inspire (formerly TechEd)
* MIX
* PDC
* WinHEC

|

Divisions|

* Engineering groups
* Mobile
* Skype unit
* Digital Crimes Unit
* Garage
* Press
* Research
* .NET Foundation
* Outercurve Foundation
* Xbox Game Studios

Estates|

* Microsoft Redmond campus
* Microsoft Talo
* Microsoft Algeria
* Microsoft Egypt
* Microsoft India
* Microsoft Japan
* Microsoft Theater

Campaigns|

* Where do you want to go today? (1994)
* Champagne (2002)
* Mojave Experiment (2006)
* I'm a PC (2008)
* Scroogled (2012)

Criticism|

* Bundling of Microsoft Windows
* Clippy
* iLoo
* Internet Explorer
* Microsoft Bob
* NSAKEY
* Windows
* XP
* Vista
* 10

Litigation|

* Alcatel-Lucent v. Microsoft
* Apple v. Microsoft
* European Union Microsoft competition case
* Microsoft v. Lindows
* Microsoft v. MikeRoweSoft
* Microsoft v. Shah
* United States v. Microsoft (2001 antitrust case)
* Microsoft Ireland case

Acquisitions|

* 6Wunderkinder
* Altamira Software
* AltspaceVR
* aQuantive
* Azyxxi
* The Blue Ribbon SoundWorks
* Beam
* Bungie
* Calista Technologies
* Colloquis
* Connectix
* Consumers Software
* Danger
* Farecast
* FASA Studio
* Fast Search & Transfer
* Firefly
* Forethought
* GIANT Company Software
* GitHub
* GreenButton
* Groove Networks
* High Heat Major League Baseball
* Hotmail
* Jellyfish.com
* LinkedIn
* LinkExchange
* Lionhead Studios
* Maluuba
* Massive Incorporated
* Mobile Data Labs
* Mojang
* Nokia Devices and Services
* Onfolio
* Pando Networks
* Perceptive Pixel
* PlaceWare
* Powerset
* ProClarity
* Rare
* Revolution Analytics
* ScreenTonic
* Secure Islands
* Simplygon
* Skype
* Sunrise Atelier
* SwiftKey
* Winternals Software
* Teleo
* Telekinesys Research
* Tellme Networks
* Twisted Pixel Games
* Vermeer Technologies
* Visio Corporation
* Vivaty
* VoloMetrix
* VXtreme
* WebTV Networks
* Xamarin
* Yammer
* Yupi

* Category

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