David Dobrik’s photo app Dispo raises $20m in funding

What’s Dispo managed to do so far?

Dispo has managed to raise $20m USD from a variety of investors so far, including Sequoia, a company that’s already thrown money at big names like Airbnb, Google, Instagram, LinkedIn, YouTube, and Zoom.

The app went into beta just over a year ago and was quick to gain a following. A new, invite-only version launched earlier this month to similar fanfare, gaining tens of thousands of downloads in Japan upon release.

According to its website, Dispo is currently only available for iOS but aims to have an Android version out by the end of 2021. Whether it permanently stays invite-only is currently unclear, though it may follow a similar route to Clubhouse and remaining a solely exclusive experience for members only.

Why is Dispo generating so much buzz?

A large portion of Dispo’s audience will be from David Dobrik’s YouTube fan base, at least for now, though the rush of investor interest suggests the app has staying potential beyond just a celebrity following.

Other big platforms such as Instagram and TikTok have seen an explosion in nostalgic throwback aesthetics in the past year or so. 90s school photo trends have been making the rounds and VHS filters are downloaded by millions of iPhone users on a monthly basis.

There is an appetite for content that breaks away from the mainstream influencer culture we’ve become accustomed to in the past five years or so and Dispo scratches that itch in an immediate and gratifying way. There’s competition in a crowded market, but its big star founder and simple ‘developing photos’ gimmick helps distinguish Dispo from other apps.

Nostalgia and future retroism is only gaining momentum as the pandemic drags on – so don’t be surprised when Dispo dominates the market twelve months from now.