Rumr, Group Messaging With An Anonymous Twist, Launches On iOS & Android
TechCrunch › Natasha Lomas
Say hey to rumr, a new messaging app that’s vying to draw your attention away from all the other ways to say hey already in play.
Rumr has been in the works for around half a year, raising an $800,000 seed back in October, led by Khosla Ventures‘ Ben Ling. Google Ventures‘ MG Siegler also participated in the round (Disclosure: Siegler is a columnist for TechCrunch but he had no input into this article — and, to my knowledge, was not aware I was writing it); along with Greycroft Partners; LA-based angel investor Paige Craig; and Scott Lahman, textPlus founder and CEO.
rumr is launching today as a free download for iOS and Android
Before you say ‘yeah, good luck with competing with WhatsApp/Facebook/Snapchat et al’ rumr’s twist is that it’s anonymous group messaging with friends. (Or at least, with people you actively choose to connect with for the purposes of identity-free chatting.)
This is not about anonymously chatting with Internet randoms/digital bottomfeeders, says rumr CEO and founder James Jerlecki, who brings a background in messaging to this startup, having previously worked for textPlus. rumr is about “controlled anonymity” — aka, having a bit of free-flowing fun with your friends.