In a pioneering move towards decentralizing personal data storage, Spanish startup hello.app has announced a successful seed funding round, raising €500,000 and achieving a valuation of €16 million. The investment, sourced from a consortium of European investors and industry partners including Gerald Heydenreich of Ethermail, David Holtmann, and Albert Bonet, marks a significant milestone for the company founded by the visionary entrepreneur Álvaro Pintado Santaularia at the age of 19.
hello.app distinguishes itself by offering users monetary compensation in exchange for leveraging the unused storage space on their personal mobile devices such as phones, tablets, and laptops. With nearly 200,000 users spanning over 200 countries since its inception in 2022, the startup aims to expand its user base to 3 million by 2025. This latest funding will propel the development and launch of its app on both iOS and Android platforms, alongside the activation of its innovative “contribution node” feature. This strategic move positions hello.app as a pioneering force in the shift away from traditional Web2 storage solutions, challenging centralized cloud giants like Dropbox and Google.
“We are thrilled to embark on this next phase of growth with the backing of our investors,” commented Álvaro Pintado, CEO of hello.app. “Our platform not only empowers users to earn from their device storage but also heralds a future where distributed computing and storage networks redefine the digital landscape.” Source: Eu-startups.com
Editorial Opinion: Accelerating Innovation in Decentralized Storage
The recent €500,000 seed funding secured by hello.app underscores a growing recognition of the potential in decentralized data storage solutions. As traditional cloud services face increasing scrutiny over privacy and centralization concerns, startups like hello.app offer a compelling alternative. By leveraging the idle storage capacity of millions of personal devices worldwide, hello.app not only promises economic benefits for users but also fosters a more resilient and distributed digital infrastructure.
This funding injection will enable hello.app to enhance its technological capabilities, expand its user base, and strengthen its market position in the burgeoning Web3 ecosystem. As the demand for decentralized solutions grows, backed by an increasing awareness of data sovereignty and security, hello.app stands poised to lead the charge towards a more democratized internet.
In the broader industry context, investments in innovative startups like hello.app signal a shift towards more sustainable and equitable digital practices. By tapping into the latent potential of everyday devices, these ventures pave the way for a future where digital resources are harnessed collaboratively, rather than monopolistically.
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