Rounds

Rounds, originally known as 6rounds, was an Israeli startup founded in February 2008 by Dany Fishel, Ilan Leibovich, and Dimitry Shestek. Fishel served as the CEO, Leibovich as the COO, and Shestek as the CTO. The company was established with the vision of creating a social entertainment platform centered around real-time video communication, long before video chat became a mainstream feature of social networks. Initially, the platform had a speed-dating focus, using interactive games to help users connect. Over time, it evolved into a broader social network.

The firm's core product was a cross-platform social video chat application that allowed users to do more than just talk. It integrated shared activities, enabling friends to watch YouTube videos together, co-browse Facebook, and play multiplayer games like chess and checkers in real-time during a video call. This model of combining video with shared experiences was central to its offering. The platform was available on the web and later as Android and iOS applications, requiring a Facebook login to connect with existing friends, a measure taken to enhance user privacy and security. The business generated most of its revenue through advertising.

Throughout its operation, Rounds achieved several milestones. It launched in July 2009 and rebranded from 6rounds to Rounds in August 2010. The company successfully raised approximately $22 million in funding over six rounds from notable investors including Sequoia Capital, Verizon Ventures, Samsung Venture Investment, and Tim Draper. A significant development occurred in December 2013 when Rounds integrated Vidyo's technology, which also powered Google Hangouts' video chat capabilities at the time. At its peak, the platform reached over 9 million monthly active users. The company's journey culminated in January 2017 when it was acquired by the Canadian messaging service Kik Messenger for a reported $60-$80 million, with its Tel Aviv office becoming Kik's first international engineering center.

Keywords: video chat, social gaming, real-time communication, collaborative browsing, mobile video, social network, Dany Fishel, Ilan Leibovich, Dimitry Shestek, Kik Messenger acquisition, Sequoia Capital, social entertainment, interactive video, shared experience, Tel Aviv startup, Vidyo integration, mobile communication, online gaming, co-browsing, social platform