Yope Raises $12.3M to Build a Private Social Network Without Ads or Algorithms

As social media evolves from connecting friends to becoming major entertainment platforms, a startup called Yope is quietly redefining online connectivity by offering a social network free from algorithms, advertisements, and public postings.

Supported by a $12.3 million funding round led by Northzone, Yope’s app seeks to rival tech titans like Facebook, TikTok, Snapchat, and Instagram by developing a social space centered on “micro communities”—small, private groups where family and friends can share photos, videos, messages, and soon, games.

The idea of an algorithm-free, private social media platform is not entirely novel; however, few applications have managed to grow without relying on additional creator content for user engagement. Yope intends to change this by facilitating connections between real-life friends, serving as both a communication tool and a medium for sharing photos and personal updates.

On Yope, accounts are private by default, without an algorithm-driven feed. The platform is ad-free, concentrating instead on providing a premium subscription-based experience for its committed users.

Bahram Ismailau, co-founder and CEO of Yope based in London, indicates that the team saw potential for a new kind of social network after conducting over 100,000 interviews—assisted by AI tools—to understand how young people worldwide use social platforms. They found that around 30% of users were interacting with “photo dump” or “spam” accounts, which are used to share casual images among a close-knit circle.

Conversely, many users prefer not to publish content publicly, opting instead for messaging to stay in touch with friends.

“[Young people] don’t have an outlet for self-expression unless they are prepared to become influencers,” Ismailau told TechCrunch. However, teens want to express themselves; they simply seek more privacy.

“We spotted a significant opportunity to create a new environment for young individuals to engage socially, which we named Yope—an AI-driven social platform designed for youth and future generations.”

Ismailau added that the team believes in using AI to strengthen connections rather than create content. This includes the introduction of mini-games that users can enjoy with friends, set to launch in about a month. The platform will also use AI for facilitating real-life meetups, including purchasing tickets for events or finding restaurants to watch football matches.

On Yope, users create profiles by sharing photos, which can be transformed into cut-out stickers. Rather than being organized in albums, photos are displayed in a collage-like, slightly chaotic manner across each user’s “wall.” In the near future, users will be able to further customize their space by adding interests, favorite music, and the mini-games, while also choosing colors and wallpapers to fit their style.

This design approach harkens back to Myspace, where users crafted personalized spaces that showcased their individuality.

The app features a variety of functions found in contemporary social networks, including in-app messaging, AI-generated highlight recaps, and lock screen widgets showcasing friends’ photos. During onboarding, users receive guidance to set up multiple features and permissions necessary for accessing their photos and connecting with friends, which encourages them to add connections and start private conversations.

The effectiveness of these features is evident, as Yope has attracted nearly 15 million registered users who collectively share between 10 and 20 million pieces of content each week, ranging from photos to videos and stickers. These stats reflect strong user engagement, with Ismailau reporting that over 50% of Yope’s users utilize the app at least five days a week, designating them as power users.

Notably, the platform is not exclusively for younger users; Ismailau mentions that roughly 20% of active users have invited older family members to join Yope.

This growth has caught the attention of investors; according to Ismailau, Northzone approached Yope for investment instead of the other way around. Northzone, prominent for backing consumer apps like Spotify and Klarna, led the $12.3 million funding round, receiving mixed contributions from Inovo, Redseed, and Geek Ventures, bringing Yope’s total funding to $20 million. (Yope emerged from two previous pivots; TechCrunch covered earlier iterations of the company, while the current version has been under development for about two years.)

“Yope offers a refreshing, empowering, and secure social media experience where users retain complete control over their interactions, in stark contrast to the exploitative practices of platforms like Meta, TikTok, or X,” stated Pär-Jörgen Pärson, a Northzone partner. “We are excited to work with Bahram, Paul [Rudkouski, co-founder], and their team to enhance the service far beyond its current millions of users and half a billion shared moments.”

The funding will be allocated towards product development, team expansion—currently at around 35 employees—and establishing an office in the U.S.

Yope is available for free download on both iOS and Android.

Correction: Users are sharing 10 to 20 million pieces of content weekly, not daily, as initially stated by the founder. We have updated the post accordingly.