Clever new site is sort of Twitter for video

Keek kicks its way into the startup stratosphere

Tired of hearing about Facebook? Good, because we're tired of writing about it. After all, it's not the only social media site, there are new ones everyday.

And one that's getting lots of attention, not to mention lots of interest from investors, is Keek, a Toronto-based social video sharing startup that says it emphasizes communications over entertainment through 36-second smartphone movie clips.

"We, from the beginning, have looked at video as a form of communication," CEO Isaac Raichyk said. "It's a way for people to communicate with their friends, with the followers, with their fans, or whoever, but it's a way to communicate. We don't provide any beautification filters, no video editing, just point; shoot; upload; communicate."

Described by some as "Twitter for video," Keek's growth has been nothing short of explosive, with 6 million users signed up in just the past 30 days and a reported 200,000 new signups per day.

And unlike certain social media sites we could think of, Keek seems to be engaging its users, collecting 8 million monthly comments and likes, with 30 million monthly follows.

OK, but just what is it? Well, it's a place where you can post Keeks -- which are sort of like, you know, tweets, except they're 36-second video bites. See something you like or don't like. Just kick back and press the "Keekback" button to respond.

Do this often enough and you'll build Kred. You can also join Klusters, use Keekmail and so forth.

The combination of slick technology and feel-good, clever branding is kicking Keek into the stratosphere financially. It raised $7 million a few months ago and today announced an $18 million funding round.

Investors have been a little sour on tech startups recently, thanks to Facebook's missteps but that's not holding back Keek's kickstart.

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www.keek.com