In August 2019, Openspace invested in Kumu, a Philippines-based livestreaming company that is the first fully interactive social entertainment app in the country. The platform allows creators to stream content to audiences and monetize their work through virtual ‘gifts’ from viewers.
With Openspace’s support, Kumu integrated an AI-driven content moderation solution that detects violence, solicitations, bullying and other hateful content. The content team has put extra focus on monitoring and addressing unwanted attention received by creators, especially women. Kumu’s ‘gifting’ model provided a source of income for its 1.3m content creators, particularly when traditional segments of the economy shut down during COVID-19 lockdowns. The number of financially successful creators in 2021 reached 15,000, about half of which are female, from just 280 in 2019.