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Based in Los Angeles, California, 9 Count is a mobile technology company that develops and operates a portfolio of social networking applications targeted at Generation Z users. Founded by former Musical.ly president Alex Hofmann and Joe Viola, the firm utilizes an incubation model to build consumer platforms, featuring a software suite that includes the friend discovery application Wink and the dating platform Summer. Operating on a freemium business model that incorporates in-app purchases and premium subscriptions, the enterprise has accumulated more than 20 million total product installations across its global user base. The company has secured $27.5 million in total venture capital funding from institutional investors including Lightspeed Venture Partners, GGV Capital, Redpoint Ventures, and Greycroft. To support the expansion of its mobile application ecosystem, the organization recently grew its workforce to 35 employees.
9 Count has raised $49.5M across 4 funding rounds.
9 Count has raised $49.5M in total across 4 funding rounds.
9 Count has raised $49.5M across 4 funding rounds. Most recently, it raised $6.0M Series A in August 2022.
| Date | Round | Lead Investors | Other Investors | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aug 1, 2022 | $6M Series A | — | CapitalG, Flybridge Capital Partners, General Catalyst, Inspired Capital, Notable Capital, Crosscut Ventures, Hans Tung, Greycroft, Grishin Robotics, I2BF Global Ventures, Progression Fund, Redpoint Ventures, Signia, Waverley Capital | Announced |
| May 2, 2022 | $21.5M Venture Round | GGV Capital, Redpoint Ventures | — | Announced |
| Jan 1, 2019 | $7M Seed | — | CapitalG, Flybridge Capital Partners, General Catalyst, Inspired Capital, Notable Capital | Announced |
| Jan 1, 2019 | $15M Series A | — | — | Announced |
9count is a Los Angeles-based mobile app studio founded in 2018 (with operations starting in 2019) that builds Gen Z-focused social apps to foster connections through chatting, live video, games, and more.[1][2][3] Its flagship app, Wink, is the #1 U.S.-made friend-making app, creating over 50 million friendships monthly, while others like Summer (no-swipe dating), Popstream (creator meet-and-greets), Juju (gaming), and Everland (self-connection) target specific social needs.[2][3] With $27.5 million in funding, $7.4 million in 2025 revenue, 20+ million installs, and a lean team of 22-35 employees, 9count solves loneliness by enabling authentic interactions for young users via a multi-app portfolio that cross-promotes and iterates on data.[1][3][4]
9count was co-founded in January 2019 by Alex Hofmann, former President of musical.ly (acquired by ByteDance/TikTok), who drove North and South American growth, and Joe Viola, a Forbes 30 Under 30 product manager in consumer tech.[1][2][3][5][6] The idea emerged from Hofmann's social app expertise post-musical.ly exit in 2017, aiming to recapture Gen Z connection magic amid rising digital isolation.[3][4] Early traction came with Wink's launch as a interest-based friend-finder, quickly scaling to millions of installs and paving the way for a portfolio approach; by 2022, they'd raised $6 million more, hitting $27.5 million total funding.[1][3]
9count stands out in the crowded social app space through its multi-app studio model, leveraging shared tech, data, and cross-promotion for efficiency:
9count rides the post-pandemic loneliness wave and Gen Z's demand for niche, meaningful digital bonds amid TikTok fatigue and swipe-app burnout.[3][7] Timing aligns with rising mental health awareness and social commerce, where apps like Wink fill gaps left by broad platforms; its U.S.-centric, creator-friendly tools (e.g., Popstream) counter foreign-dominated social giants.[2][3] By cross-pollinating users across apps, 9count influences the ecosystem toward modular social experiences, enabling smaller studios to compete via efficiency—much like musical.ly disrupted pre-TikTok—while investors like GGV Capital and Redpoint back its scalable model.[3][5]
9count's momentum—20M installs, steady revenue, and expanding portfolio—positions it to dominate Gen Z social niches as AI personalization and AR deepen connections.[1][3] Next steps likely include scaling Popstream/Juju betas, international growth, and new monetization like premium features or creator tools, fueled by its $27.5M war chest.[3][5] Trends like authentic self-expression and multi-app ecosystems will amplify its edge, potentially evolving it into a social platform powerhouse; watch for acquisitions or IPO paths echoing Hofmann's musical.ly playbook, keeping users "feeling connected" at scale.[2][7]
9 Count has raised $49.5M in total across 4 funding rounds.
9 Count's investors include CapitalG, Flybridge Capital Partners, General Catalyst, Inspired Capital, Notable Capital, Crosscut Ventures, Hans Tung, Greycroft, Grishin Robotics, I2BF Global Ventures, Progression Fund, Redpoint Ventures.
