Snow is a selfie camera app that emphasizes localized filters, stickers, augmented reality and other selfie-focused features after removing user-to-user chat. The app lets users create photos and videos with music, GIF makers and Boomerang-like features, and exports media to social networks or chat groups. Snow was started by Naver and has been popular across Asia, including Japan, Korea and China; the company says its app has over 200 million downloads and that China is its largest market. Snow Corp also owns camera apps Foodie and B612, which it acquired from Line, and shares underlying technology across those apps. The company plans to use new funding to develop augmented reality and facial recognition technologies and to build partnerships and localize its service in China. Its App Store listing indicates it is working with Chinese unicorn SenseTime on facial recognition. Snow is a Snapchat clone focused on Asia, offering a photo and video app with numerous filters and stickers. The product features more than 30 different filters and over 700 stickers, and has been described as a cleaner, amplified take on Snapchat. Snow has racked up downloads across Japan, Korea, China and Southeast Asia and has taken top download spots in several of those markets. Neither Snow nor Line disclosed exact download figures, though the New York Times speculated the app had crossed 30 million downloads in June. Snow sits under the same corporate parent, Naver, as Line, making the two companies closely related. Line's investment signals a deeper push into social from its broader messaging and apps strategy.

Total raised

$96M

Funding rounds

2

Latest round

Equity

Latest activity

Jan 2018