Meta invests in Take App, a Singaporean startup that helps merchants sell via WhatsApp
techcrunch.comWhatsApp has long transcended its roots as a simple messaging app for friends, and is now a core communication tool for businesses seeking a direct channel to their customers’ pockets — both literally, and metaphorically. Countless companies have turned to the omnipresent messaging app as they build the very foundation of their business, something that hasn’t gone unnoticed by WhatsApp’s parent company.
Indeed, Meta Platforms Inc. — the corporate megabrand behind Facebook, Instagram, Messenger, and WhatsApp — recently invested in Take App, a fledgling Singaporean startup founded by former Facebook engineering manager Youmin Kim, who left the social network last year to work on a new product that promises to bridge the digital gap for small-business owners in Southeast Asia.
At its core, Take App serves as an easy way for those with little technical know-how to set up a simple website to facilitate online orders, replete with a shopping cart, payments, and a direct connection to WhatsApp for managing and tracking the final order.
Take App: WhatsApp ordering
While restaurants are a central focus for the Take App service, the company also works with bakeries, grocery businesses, beauty salons, among others.
“Our unique selling point is that we let merchants keep direct WhatsApp conversations with customers,” Kim explained to TechCrunch. “Merchants love the idea that they receive notifications and order details directly in WhatsApp — no other app or login is required.”
On top of that, Take App is looking to help businesses drive repeat custom through maintaining a database, with support for creating and sending newsletters (like a “Mailchimp for WhatsApp”) that include special offers or relevant company updates.
Take App:
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