Hyderabad-based social networking startup Culture has raised ₹2 crore in a seed round led by Acuvest Infra. The funds will be used to sharpen product development, scale technology and moderation systems, expand community partnerships and accelerate user acquisition across Indian cities.
Product centred on live, interest-driven conversations
Founded by Anurag Rangineni, Culture seeks to move away from algorithm-driven feeds and vanity metrics by prioritising live, interest-based video conversations. The platform emphasises real-time interaction over likes and follower counts, aiming to create spaces where users can speak and listen without the pressure of performance.
This approach targets younger Indian audiences increasingly conscious of digital well‑being and authenticity, offering an alternative to short-form, engagement-first social experiences.
Safety and moderation as differentiators
Culture integrates verified user profiles and phone-number authentication to reduce anonymity-related misuse. The platform also employs AI-powered moderation to detect and terminate sessions with harassment, explicit content or other policy violations.
By building safety and accountability into the product, Culture aims to foster trust—an area where many random-chat and social-discovery apps have struggled—thereby attracting users who want meaningful interaction without fear of abuse.
Creator-led “Spaces” to drive engagement and monetisation
Culture is launching a feature called Spaces: creator‑led interactive zones for influencers, educators and community leaders to host live discussions, ticketed sessions, hybrid events and brand collaborations. Spaces enable creators to build niche communities, engage audiences directly and experiment with offline partnerships such as cafés and cultural venues.
The move positions Culture in the growing creator economy, offering monetisation paths beyond standard content posting and aligning digital activity with real-world engagement trends in India.
Use of funds and go-to-market strategy
The seed capital will be allocated to product enhancement, infrastructure scaling, safety systems and hiring. Growth efforts will emphasise organic community building—campus activations, café partnerships and creator collaborations—rather than heavy advertising, aiming to cultivate loyal user cohorts that expand through word of mouth.
Future plans and investor view
While focused on strengthening its India footprint, Culture plans to explore international markets over time. Potential future revenue channels include premium subscriptions, advanced creator tools and non‑intrusive native advertising aligned with user interests.
Investors have cited the startup’s user‑first design, robust moderation and interest‑led engagement as factors that could support sustainable growth as audiences increasingly seek meaningful digital experiences beyond curated feeds and viral content.
