Retro, a photo-sharing app that puts friendship front and centre, has raised over $21 million in Series A funding. Former Instagram engineers Nathan Sharp and Ryan Olson are behind this app, which encourages users to share more with their friends than with the algorithm. The app's direct social approach contrasts with today's more impersonal feeds.

“People will still want to see more of their friends,” Sharp told TechCrunch, highlighting the enduring appeal of personal connections over algorithmic content. Since its launch in 2023, Retro has become more than just a personal photo journal, adding features for private sharing and group recaps. It’s also shunned advertising, relying on in-app subscriptions for revenue.

According to data from Appfigures, Retro has been downloaded around 7 million times and in-app spending has more than quadrupled in the past half year. This suggests a growing community of committed users who find value in sharing personal moments without the intrusion of ads. Investors include notable names like Thrive Capital, Figma’s Dylan Field, and Box Group.

With this influx of capital, Retro looks set to expand its feature set, potentially challenging the dominance of more established social media platforms. But as it stands, it’s a unique space where personal expression and genuine connections take centre stage.