Vive (software)

Vive is a members-only mobile video chat community. The company has offices in San Francisco, Berlin and Hannover.^[1]

Vive's mission statement is "to provide a safe virtual community where individuals can meet other people to share skills and experiences".^[2]

History

Vive was founded in Hannover by Arnd Aschentrup, Matthias Kleinmann and Tobias Dickmeis.^[3] All three had been involved in similar, formative projects prior to the creation of the app. Aschentrup worked with a number of companies in Germany's tech scene, co-founding Cyoshi Mobile GmbH with Dickmeis and later becoming Global COO of Mobile Streams.^[4]

The company entered beta-phase in June 2014^[5] and launched its iOS app in September of the same year. In October 2014 an iPad version of vive was released, the same month where the company successfully secured a 1.5 million funding round from prominent European investors.^[6] Among these Atlantic Internet GmbH, Hannover Beteiligungs Fond (HBF) and Mittelständische Beteiligungsgesellschaft Niedersachen (MBG).^[7]

Features and membership

CEO Arnd Aschentrup describes vive as being 'somewhat like Couchsurfing but with video-calls instead of plane-tickets'.^[8] The app allows members to search for people within their locality as well as from around the world.

Upon logging into the app, members are presented with a list of other users, ranked on the basis of common interests and last log-in.^[9] The app aims to provide a platform for authentic, emotional and spontaneous connection between its members.^[10]

Potential members are asked how they would like to use vive and what they can share with the community. A team of moderators then evaluate the applicant based on their answers.^[11]

References