Hunch, a new social search app, has raised $23 million to fuel its global expansion.
The Hunch app was created to transform social interaction and encourage honest debate through open, anonymous conversations and polls. The company is headquartered in Dubai.
The round was led by Alpha Wave, Hashed and other leading investors. It is an important moment for an app that is rapidly gaining popularity, reaching the top 25 on the Apple App Store and the top 50 on the Google Play Store just six months after its launch.
The investment aims to expand Hunch into the US market and build its presence in India. Hunch's users take surveys covering a wide range of topics, from pop culture and gaming to finance, dating, relationships, anime, and more. These polls act as a bridge, connecting users with similar interests and providing a unique platform to validate opinions.
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Hunch has already seen more than 115,000 polls created, collecting 10 million opinions from users across the country. The app allows users to engage in conversations without judgment, making it a destination for authentic and meaningful connections.
“We believe Hunch has achieved PMF and now is a great time to celebrate this news with our community,” said Ish Goel, CEO of Hunch, in a statement. “This investment underscores our commitment to making Hunch a destination for authentic and meaningful connections for young people.”
Hunch sets itself apart by encouraging truly anonymous discussion and giving users a platform to ask questions that might be difficult to raise in real life. Each poll starts a judgment-free conversation, fostering diverse opinions and connections.
“With Gen Z’s growing fatigue with apps that encourage living vicariously, there is a huge opportunity to build something that promotes real life without filters,” Tak Lee, managing partner at Hashed Emergent, said in a statement.
The app integrates generative AI at its core, exemplified by its solution to social pressures around ideal profile photos. After answering 15 survey questions on Hunch, users will receive an AI-generated avatar, eliminating the need for a physical profile photo.
Hunch plans to use the funds to expand its footprint in the U.S. and India and introduce new features based on user insights.
Founded in December 2022, Hunch is headquartered in Dubai with offices in India and Singapore and seeks to redefine social interactions, prioritize curiosity over conformity, and foster genuine connections as the ultimate reward.
The company is the brainchild of seasoned co-founders including CEO Ish Goel, CPO Nitika Goel and CMO Kartic.
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