Explained: Why Koo, Once Hyped As X's Rival, Is Shutting Down

Indian social media app Koo, once seen as a strong competitor to X (formerly Twitter), is shutting down. Founder Aprameya Radhakrishna announced the closure in a LinkedIn post, marking the end of the platform's ambitious efforts in the global social media landscape. Koo's shutdown follows several failed attempts to sell or merge the platform, including negotiations with content aggregator DailyHunt, which did not materialize. Despite raising over $66 million from investors like 3one4 Capital and Accel, and being valued at $275 million, Koo struggled to secure the necessary funding to sustain operations and compete with established players. The inability to attract additional long-term capital ultimately led to this decision.