Can a New Social App Address the Harm Caused by Social Media?

Biz Stone, a co-founder of Twitter, and Evan Sharp, who co-founded Pinterest, have secured fresh funding for their social media startup, West Co.

The company introduced an invite-only version of its first product, an app called Tangle, in November. Since then, new information has emerged through comments from Stone and Sharp, along with regulatory documents and job postings, as reported by the Financial Times.

According to those reports, West Co has raised approximately $29 million, with venture capital firm Spark Capital leading the seed funding round.

Sharp, who serves as West Coast’s chief executive, said the idea for the company came from a broader reflection on the impact of social media over the past decade and a half. He described the project as a response to the question of what could be built to help counter what he called the “terrible devastation” social platforms have caused to people’s mental and emotional well-being.

The company’s initial approach is a daily-intention app. Tangle prompts users with a simple question: “What’s your intention for today?” Users can then share their goals with friends, a feature designed to encourage more mindful planning, honest reflection on daily experiences, and a better understanding of recurring patterns in their lives.

Stone told the Financial Times that the product remains very much a work in progress. He noted that Tangle could change substantially before it is eventually released to the broader public.