Mark Cuban Supports Skylight, a TikTok Alternative Based on Bluesky Technology.
Mark Cuban has backed Skylight, an alternative to TikTok that is based on the fundamental technology of Bluesky.
Skylight, a new startup looking to compete with TikTok, will launch its mobile app to the public this Tuesday, after just 10 weeks of active development. This platform, backed by Mark Cuban and other investors, joins the group of apps utilizing the AT Protocol, the same technology that powers the social network Bluesky and a growing number of other applications.
Founded by co-founders Tori White (CEO) and Reed Hermeyer (CTO), Skylight offers a short video experience that includes familiar features such as an in-app video editor, the option to comment, like, and share videos, as well as creating a user profile and following others. Being built on the AT Protocol, users will also have immediate access to the Bluesky network, which boasts over 33.8 million users, making it easier for videos posted on Skylight to be visible and accessible to users of Bluesky and other ATProto-based apps like Flashes, which is more photo-centric.
The company's initial funding comes from a pre-seed round led by Cuban, who expressed his desire to foster an alternative to TikTok built on AT Protocol technology. Additionally, the investment firm Graham & Walker, led by Leslie Feinzaig, has also invested in Skylight.
Tori White, who was previously a travel influencer and is now a self-taught software developer in Seattle, commented that the idea to create Skylight arose when they heard rumors about a potential TikTok ban in the United States. Although the ban is currently on hold, White had backed her videos on TikTok but was still concerned about losing access to her community.
White and Hermeyer, interested in ATProto, decided it was the right time to build a new social app that could withstand bans. Through her experience as an influencer, White documented the development of Skylight on TikTok, which helped raise visibility for the product and attract a group of potential interested users.
With a focus on distribution from the outset, White shared that she made a video before writing the first line of code for the app, allowing people to follow her building process. Her TikTok profile @buildwithtori currently has nearly 50,000 followers, many of whom became early testers of the app.
Skylight allows users to upload videos of up to three minutes in length, a recent increase from the previous one-minute limit. However, White has a broader vision for Skylight, planning future features that will allow users to customize their feed, as well as incorporate new gestures beyond traditional scrolling and swiping. Among other features currently in development are support for sounds, duets, video trimming, bookmarks, and playlists. The app is currently in beta on Google Play Store and is already publicly available on the Apple App Store following initial testing.