Mark Cuban Endorses Skylight: The Exciting TikTok Alternative Powered by Bluesky Technology
Skylight, an innovative startup, is set to launch its highly anticipated mobile app, aiming to provide a more open alternative to TikTok. After just 10 weeks of development, the app is backed by notable investors like Mark Cuban and is powered by the AT Protocol, which also supports the popular social network Bluesky and other emerging applications.
What is Skylight?
Skylight, founded by Tori White (CEO) and Reed Harmeyer (CTO), offers a unique short-form video experience reminiscent of TikTok. Users can enjoy a variety of features including:
- In-app video editing
- Comment, like, and share functionalities
- Personalized user profiles
- Follow other users
Connect with the Bluesky Community
One of Skylight’s standout features is its integration with the AT Protocol, allowing users to connect with Bluesky’s extensive network of over 33.8 million users. This connectivity means that videos shared on Skylight can also be discovered and interacted with by users on Bluesky and other ATProto-based platforms, such as Flashes, a photo-centric app.
Funding and Inspiration Behind Skylight
The startup successfully raised funding through a pre-seed round led by Mark Cuban, who expressed his desire for a TikTok alternative based on the AT Protocol. Additionally, Leslie Feinzaig’s Graham & Walker Venture Fund made significant investments.
Tori White, previously a travel influencer, found her inspiration for Skylight when rumors of a TikTok ban in the U.S. surfaced. Concerned about losing her community and content, she and co-founder Harmeyer began exploring the possibilities offered by the AT Protocol.
Building on Solid Technology
Harmeyer noted, “The first thing that interested us about ATProto was that Bluesky was not failing,” emphasizing their confidence in the technology’s reliability. This assurance motivated them to create a social platform that could be “ban-proof.”
Documenting the Journey
Utilizing her influencer background, White started sharing Skylight’s development process on TikTok, which helped garner attention and attract initial users. “I made a video before we ever wrote a line of code for this,” she explained, highlighting the importance of engaging the audience early on.
Features and Future Developments
Currently, Skylight supports video uploads of up to three minutes, an improvement from its previous one-minute limit. However, White envisions Skylight evolving beyond a simple TikTok clone. Future enhancements may include:
- Customizable user feeds
- New gestures for navigation
- Support for sounds, duets, and stitching
- Bookmarks and playlists
The Skylight app is now in beta on the Google Play Store and available for public download on the Social Media News page.
