Yope raises $12.3M to build a private social network without algorithms or ads

As social media has evolved from a place to connect with friends into large-scale entertainment platforms, a startup called Yope is quietly building what it believes will be the future of online connection: social networking with no algorithms, no ads, and no public content. Yope’s app, now backed by a $12.3 million seed round led by Northzone, is taking on tech giants like Facebook, TikTok, Snapchat, and Instagram by building a social platform centered on what it refers to as “micro communities” — or small groups where friends and family interact in private, sharing photos, videos, messages, and soon, playing games. The idea of building algorithm-free, private social media is not new, but few apps have managed to scale without the addition of creator content to keep users engaged. Yope hopes to change that by encouraging connections between real-world friends, making it as much a communication tool as a place to share photos or life updates. On Yope, accounts are private by default, and there’s no algorithmic feed. It’s also not supported by advertising, instead focusing on developing a premium, subscription-based experience for power users. Bahram Ismailau, Yope’s London-based co-founder and CEO, says the team saw the potential for a new type of social network after conducting over 100,000 interviews — aided by AI tools — to better understand how young people around the world were using social networks. They found that around 30% were using what are often called photo dump or “spam” accounts, where users share more candid photos with a smaller group of real-life friends. Meanwhile, many people don’t share anything publicly, relying instead on messaging to keep up with friends. “[Young people] don’t have any place to self-express if they are not ready to be an influencer,” Ismailau pointed out in an interview with TechCrunch. Yet teens still want to do so; they just want more privacy. “We found this big opportunity to create a new space for young people to be social. We called it Yope, and it’s an AI-native social platform for young people and the next generation.” He clarified that the team doesn’t believe in using AI to create content; rather, it sees AI as a tool that can help create better connections. That includes using AI to create mini-games that you can play with your friends, a feature expected to launch in about a month. It also aims to leverage AI to help users meet up in real life, perhaps by buying tickets to an event, or finding a restaurant or bar where they can watch a football game. On Yope, users create their own profiles by sharing photos, which can be turned into cut-out stickers. Instead of being organized into albums, the photos are displayed in a collage-like, almost chaotic arrangement across each user’s “wall.” Soon, Yope users will be able to further customize their space by adding their interests, favorite music, and the mini-games, as well as customizing the look and feel with colors and wallpapers of their choosing.…