go into some court and they file a lawsuit. So it’s not the first time,” Bisu told TechCrunch.
He added that Kuku has a dedicated team that manually reviews all uploaded content to check for copyright violations. The startup has also developed tools to detect whether creators are uploading copyrighted or third-party content.
“Some of the money [from this round] will also go toward improving these tools — we plan to invest in technology that can identify when a creator is using someone else’s work,” Bisu said.
Compared to Pocket FM, Kuku had more downloads but saw significantly lower in-app purchase revenue, Appfigures data shows. While India accounts for the majority of Kuku’s downloads and earnings, Pocket FM generates 82% of its downloads from India but earns 98% of its revenue from outside the country, according to Appfigures.
While Kuku saw significant growth in both downloads and consumer spending in 2025, Pocket FM experienced a 21% year-over-year decline in downloads to 38 million, but a 61% increase in consumer spending to $100 million, per Appfigures data.
That said, Kuku plans to use its latest funding to enhance its AI and data infrastructure, expand its workforce of 150 people by hiring new talent in technology and content, and deepen creator partnerships and scale in India and beyond. The startup is already testing its offerings in the Middle East and the U.S., with plans to scale in the U.S. in 2026.