India startup crushed by WhatsApp now aims to rival Facebook

Banking on India's growing use of mobile phones, an Indian startup is trying to make a local version of Facebook and a gaming platform. — AFP

Kavin Bharti Mittal, a scion of the family behind India’s second-biggest wireless operator, is planning to revive his struggling technology startup more than four years after it was valued at $1.4bil (RM5.66bil) by backers including Softbank Group Corp.

Since attaining unicorn status in 2016, New Delhi-based Hike Pvt. has suffered a string of setbacks. The latest blow came last month when it shut down its signature messaging app -- a platform that grabbed the attention of other investors such as Tencent Holdings Ltd. and Foxconn Technology Group for taking on WhatsApp in the local market.