Bubble Motion runs Bubbly, a Twitter‑like voice‑blogging phone service that lets users record voice updates which followers are notified of by SMS and can click to listen. The platform has about 19 million users and offers iOS and Android apps. Bubbly applies a social status‑update model to voice and mobile phones, enabling fans and followers to subscribe to ‘bubblers.’ The company says it will use the new funding to expand its presence in India, Japan, Indonesia, the Philippines and the broader global market. CEO Tom Clayton said the company hadn’t planned to raise more capital but saw JAFCO Asia as an ideal partner given the app’s popularity in Asia. Prior investors remain part of the cap table as strategic backers supporting its regional growth. Bubble Motion’s core product is Bubbly, a voice-blogging phone service that lets users record spoken status updates and notify followers by SMS who can click to listen. The platform mirrors Twitter’s social model but with voice messages and integrates notifications to Twitter and Facebook. Bubbly has over 7 million users across four countries and has delivered more than 250 million bubble messages through its service. The company has carrier partnerships with Bharti Airtel, Telkomsel, and Globe to distribute the service in Asian markets. Bubble Motion recently updated the platform to push notifications and links to Twitter and Facebook and continues to rely on SMS-focused technology. The startup plans to use the new funding to expand into new countries outside Asia, with Brazil and Europe explicitly eyed as target markets. Bubble Motion is a voice messaging company best known for BubbleTALK, a 'click, talk, and send' messaging service the company positions as more fun than SMS and that doesn’t require calling. The company works with mobile operators around the world to create a network of voice messaging and voice content applications. BubbleTALK is available to over 225 million subscribers globally. Bubble Motion operates internationally with employees in Silicon Valley, Singapore, London, Madrid, Rome, Stockholm, Helsinki, New Delhi, Kuala Lumpur, and Tokyo. The company has raised a total of $35 million to date after securing a new $6 million financing. As part of the financing, Al Snyder (former COO of Openwave) and Amanda Reed from Palomar Ventures will join Bubble Motion’s board of directors.

Total raised

$21M

Funding rounds

3

Latest round

Equity

Latest activity

Aug 2012