Between, A Couples App, Pairs Up With Japanese Mobile Giant DeNA
Summary
Korean startup VCNC has received a strategic investment from Japanese Internet giant DeNA to turn its couples app Between into an open platform for third-party developers. Its core business is Mobage, a social games platform, but it also offers e-commerce and other online services.VCNC, which launched in November 2011, has raised a total of $4 million in funding so far from investors including Softbank Ventures.Between, which has been downloaded 5 million times so far, is among a host of apps for besotted lovebirds who arent content with just exchanging texts or emails. For users, this means that they will see more features on the app that can help couples plan activities together, communicate and keep their memories better, explained Lee.Third-party services will be localized for specific markets as Between expands to Southeast Asia, the U.S. and Taiwan. In South Korea and Japan, VCNC has already started working with different businesses, including restaurants, wedding service vendors, movie theaters, and sports teams to add content to Betweens Event Box feature. For example, couples will be able to purchase gifts for each other, like flower deliveries, through the app, said Lee.In a statement, DeNA president and CEO Isao Moriyasu said purpose-specific social networks like Between are rapidly gaining popularity worldwide, following the massive adoption of general social networks and communication tools.