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How Picpet Turned Real Photos Into a Global Social Phenomenon and Won $1M from a16z Speedrun
Another Taiwanese startup has hit the global stage. O3O Labs’ Picpet, a playful group-based pet app, has secured a $1 million investment from a16z’s Speedrun program. But behind the headlines is a story of creative pivots, viral mechanics, and lessons learned from failure.
Picpet launched on July 1, 2025. as of November 2025, the app attracted over 300,000 users, with 160,000 daily active users and a remarkable 54 percent day-30 retention rate. Now, O3O Labs is rapidly hiring engineers and designers to support Picpet’s international expansion.
From Music Playlists to Playful Pets
Before Picpet, founder Jimmy Huang and his team developed Dila, a music-driven dating app. Dila matched users based on playlists rather than photos, aiming for more authentic connections. For a time, it worked. After a viral post on Threads, Dila surged to the top of the App Store’s music charts, gaining ten thousand users in three months.
But by October, growth plateaued, with the total user count stuck at around 14,000. Hsiang realized Dila lacked the viral loop needed to draw in new users. Relying solely on organic buzz from Threads was not enough. The ikigai accelerator program, backed by Taiwan’s 886 venture capital, stepped in at a critical moment, providing $10,000 in funding and mentorship. “They were incredibly supportive and encouraged us to keep experimenting,” Huang recalled.
This support gave Huang space to reflect and ultimately pivot. He credits ikigai’s advice for influencing the next stage, helping him focus on community-driven, viral product design.
Building Virality Through Group Fun
Inspired by Tamagotchi’s comeback and the viral success of Locket—a widget-based social app focused on real-time photo sharing—Jimmy Hsiang had a new idea. Instead of pressing a button to feed a virtual pet, what if users had to snap and share a real photo?
This approach made feeding more interactive, requiring friends to actively participate. Unlike Locket, which broadcasts photos to a wide network, Picpet creates smaller, private groups where users collaborate to care for their pet. Each group, whether made up of friends, couples, or coworkers, shares the challenge of keeping a pet (like a hedgehog or cat) healthy by regularly uploading snapshots of daily life.
This group structure created a built-in viral mechanism. Since one person can’t take care of a pet alone, every user is motivated to invite others to join their group, fueling organic growth without heavy marketing.
Early feedback wasn’t always glowing. Testers said the pet’s demands—constant feeding, cleaning, even digital poop—were frustrating. Instead of dialing back, Huang saw these strong reactions as a sign the product sparked emotion. “It’s better to be annoying than boring,” he said. “If users are frustrated, it means they care. If they’re bored, there’s nothing to fix.”
Today, Picpet pets can eat photos, make a mess that needs cleaning, and reward group members with in-app currency. Players can buy toys and furniture for their pets, and see their friends’ photo updates right on their home screen. These game-like features are laying the foundation for future monetization.
Securing Support from Silicon Valley’s Top Backers
Picpet saw steady growth in its first four months, reaching over 300,000 sign-ups and 160,000 daily active users. The app’s day-30 retention rate settled at 54 percent, a number that attracted attention from investors.
Monetization is always a challenge for social apps, but Huang is taking his time. Rather than rely on ads, Picpet plans to sell digital items such as rare pets, special backgrounds, and custom room designs. “Like any good game, if people have fun, they’ll be happy to pay for extras,” Huang said.
These numbers—and Picpet’s strong community feel—helped win over a16z’s Speedrun program. The million-dollar investment will fuel team growth and product development, especially as Picpet gears up for global markets. Huang is actively recruiting engineers and playful, creative designers to keep building new features and bring the app to even more users worldwide.
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