Vive (software)

vive

Vive logo
Original author(s)	Tripod Technology GmbH
Initial release	June 2014
Stable release	3.0.4
Development status	Active
Operating system	iOS7 or later
Platform	iOS
Available in	English, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Portuguese, Russian, Spanish
Type	Social networking, video chat
Website	vive.me

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

1. O'Hear, Steve. "Vive, The Mobile App That Lets You Video Chat With Strangers, Raises $1.5M". http://techcrunch.com/ (TechCrunch). Retrieved 24 November 2014.
2. "vive". CrunchBase. Retrieved 24 November 2014.
3. Skrabania, Lydia. "Bekannte Business Angels investieren in Video-Chat-Community Vive". http://www.gruenderszene.de/ (Gründerszene). Retrieved 24 November 2014.
4. Tayler, Victoria. "FoneStarz Media to distribute Mobile Streams’ content". Mobile Streams. Retrieved 24 November 2014.
5. Stüber, Jürgen. "Neue Berliner Video-Community Vive fordert Skype heraus". www.morgenpost.de (Berliner Morgenpost). Retrieved 24 November 2014.
6. O'Hear, Steve. "Vive, The Mobile App That Lets You Video Chat With Strangers, Raises $1.5M". http://techcrunch.com/ (TechCrunch). Retrieved 24 November 2014.
7. Skrabania, Lydia. "Bekannte Business Angels investieren in Video-Chat-Community Vive". http://www.gruenderszene.de/ (Gründerszene). Retrieved 24 November 2014.
8. O'Hear, Steve. "Vive, The Mobile App That Lets You Video Chat With Strangers, Raises $1.5M". http://techcrunch.com (TechCrunch). Retrieved 24 November 2014. External link in |website= (help)
9. Stüber, Jürgen. "Neue Berliner Video-Community Vive fordert Skype heraus". http://www.morgenpost.de/ (Berliner Morgenpost). Retrieved 24 November 2014.
10. Skrabania, Lydia. "Bekannte Business Angels investieren in Video-Chat-Community Vive". http://www.gruenderszene.de (Gründerszene). Retrieved 24 November 2014. External link in |website= (help)
11. Morris, Darryl. "Vive - It's Chatroulette Without the Willies". http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/tech/ (Huffington Post UK). Retrieved 24 November 2014. External link in |website= (help)