Hike, once celebrated as India’s answer to WhatsApp, has now shut down all its operations completely. Founded by Kavin Bharti Mittal in 2012, the app initially gained massive popularity for its unique stickers, offline messaging, and youth-focused features.
Despite its early success and backing from big investors like Tiger Global, SoftBank, and Tencent. Hike struggled to keep pace with global giants like WhatsApp and Telegram. Over time, it pivoted multiple times, from a messaging app to a social discovery platform (Vibe) and later into gaming (Rush by Hike).
However, sources confirm that the company has now fully closed its operations. Employees have been let go, and Hike’s remaining apps have been taken down.
Kavin Mittal, son of telecom tycoon Sunil Bharti Mittal, had once envisioned Hike as India’s super app, integrating chat, stickers, games, and payments. Unfortunately, strong competition, changing user habits, and failed pivots led to its decline.
This marks the end of one of India’s most talked-about startups of the last decade, a reminder of how challenging it is to sustain in the fast-changing tech ecosystem.
Summary Table
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Company Name | Hike (Hike Messenger / Hike App) |
| Founder | Kavin Bharti Mittal |
| Founded | 2012 |
| Peak Valuation | Over $1 Billion (Unicorn status) |
| Investors | Tiger Global, SoftBank, Tencent, Bharti Enterprises |
| Notable Features | Stickers, Offline Messaging, Super App Vision, Games (Rush) |
| Reason for Shutdown | Stiff competition, changing user habits, failed pivots |
| Current Status | Operations fully shut down, apps removed |
| Employees | Reportedly let go |
| Legacy | Once seen as India’s WhatsApp rival, now a cautionary tale in startups |
