@Kik talking to @qatalystgroup about Partnerships – Why VoIP has the Kik Messenger seeking a Telecom Partner

Kik, the award Winning Canadian Mobile Social Network that's famous for its Kik Cards and Promoted Tweets Business model as noted in my blog article  entitled “150 million users @Kik Messenger with Promoted Keywords and better Photo Sharing – Teenagers say Kik me Please with Love from the Canadian with the Golden Gun” is looking for a partner.

Word on the street is that Kik Founder and CEO Ted Livingston has hired Investment bank Qatalyst Partners to find a dance partner or an investor to take the business off his hands as reported in the article “Messaging app Kik could be up for sale”, published April 9, 2015 7:37 AM PDT by Don Reisinger, CNET News.

Apparently, despite having some 200 million registered users in 230 countries around the world on both the Apple iOS and Google Android Smartphone Platforms, they still can't match WhatsApp's 700 million Monthly Active users, a market that they reached in January 2015 as noted in my blog article  entitled “@WhatsApp reaches 700 million Active Monthly Users - Double Blue Checkmarks from China, Japan and South Korea and Russia with Love”.

Kik talking to Qatalyst Partners about Partnerships – Why VoIP has the Kik Messenger seeking a Telecom Partner

Good to note here the company isn't struggling.

My theory is that it may be a fear of WhatsApp and their recent push into VoIP (Voice over IP) Calling as opined in my blog article  entitled “@WhatsApp Voice Calling on @google @Android smartphones – Why only WhatsApp 2.12.19 APK as Mobile Calling coming”.

This development makes Kik a significant disruptor in the future despite not terminating directly to Local and International Mobile and Landline numbers.

This as their competition WeChat, KakaoTalk, LINE and WhatsApp not only has partners but happens to also be VoIP Operators. Kik is most likely seeking a partnership with a Telecom Provider or a MVNO (Mobile Virtual Network Operators) specializing in VoiP.

Still, Kik has a total of US$70.5 million a figure achieved after they raised US$38.3 million in funding round as reported in the article “Kik raises $38 million on mobile-messaging promise”, published November 19, 2014 8:19 AM PST by Don Reisinger, CNET News from the following VC (Venture Capitalists):

1.      Hedge fund Valiant Capital Partners.

2.      Millennium Technology Value Partners

3.      SV Angel

So a partnership is more like to build on what they already have gained as Forbes writer Parmy Olsen is hinting based on her reasoning in the article “Messaging App Kik Is 'Exploring Partnerships'”, published April 9, 2015 by Parmy Olson, Forbes.

We'll soon find out when an announcement is made to purchase this rather quietly successful Mobile Social Networking Company.