Video Chat Innovator Rabbit Raises $3.3 Million Seed Round
Google Ventures, CrunchFund and Bebo founder Michael Birch join existing investors to fuel transformation of video chat into social communication and sharing
SAN FRANCISCO, CA(28 Feb 2013)
Rabbit today announced that it has raised a $3.3 million seed round of funding. The round includes new investors Google Ventures, CrunchFund and Bebo founder Michael Birch as well as existing angel investors. The funding round was raised concurrent with the release of Rabbit in private beta earlier this month. The company plans to use the funding for continued investment in Rabbit's revolutionary video chat and content sharing technology, and launch it out of private beta to users around the world.
Rabbit is the first and only application that allows you to watch videos, listen to music and share any type of content together while video chatting with your friends.
"Rabbit's design and user experience is unlike anything I've seen," said Kevin Rose, General Partner at Google Ventures. "Video chatting is always designed for utility, but Rabbit has created an online social experience that is closer to hanging out with your friends in real life. I can't wait for the world to see it."
Rabbit was founded by four videogame pioneers who saw a need in the market for a new approach to online communications: one that allows synchronous, real-time video chat and sharing of content with small or large groups. By combining current internet infrastructure with cutting-edge gaming, social and VOIP frameworks, as well as applying the principles of massively multiplayer online gaming (MMOGs) and new innovations in product design, Rabbit has delivered an application that is a quantum leap in video chat and social networking.
"Rabbit is one of those things that should have existed before but couldn't because the technology simply wasn't where it needed to be," said MG Siegler from CrunchFund. "In the age of always-on internet, we're ready for a paradigm shift in online communication and interaction. And this is the team to deliver on that promise."
Rabbit is available in private beta today for Mac OS X (10.7 or higher) and will roll out to additional platforms in the coming months. For updates on general availability of Rabbit, please follow Rabbit on Twitter @LetsRabbit, or Like Rabbit on Facebook at facebook.com/LetsRabbit.
About Rabbit
Rabbit revolutionizes video chat: watch movies and TV shows with your friends, listen to music together, chat with an unlimited number of people, and even meet new ones — all in a single application.