Yo launched as a minimalist messenger that let users send only the word "Yo" and at its peak reached 3.5 million users. After a rapid rise and fall in June, the startup raised $1.5 million, which it used to build out the Yo API and related discovery tools. In August it released the Yo Index, and most recently it launched the Yo Store — a free, curated marketplace offering photo and link alerts from 150 services including BuzzFeed, NBA, Coinbase, TechCrunch, MTV, and Lil Bub. The Yo Store enforces rules that partners send only high-quality, infrequent, or user-requested alerts to avoid overwhelming users. Users can interact with Yo sources via iOS, Android, Windows Phone, and Chrome apps. Yo's stated goal is to build audience and prove usefulness before charging; outlets and brands are reportedly trying to pay for promoted placement but co-founder Or Arbel says Yo needs to be much bigger before it starts to charge. Yo is an extremely simple smartphone app that allows users to contact friends by sending a single word — yo. The app launched on April 1st and quickly gained viral steam in recent days. TechCrunch characterizes it as novelty software that is "weird fun for a few hours" and likely a fad. The Financial Times noted that Yo received roughly $1 million in funding from high-profile investors. The article does not provide revenue, user metrics, investor names, or further financial details.

Total raised

$3M

Funding rounds

2

Latest round

Equity

Latest activity

Feb 2015