Hello.app
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| Type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Cloud storage; Web3; Blockchain |
| Founded | 2022 |
| Founders | Álvaro Pintado; Alexander Baikalov |
| Headquarters | Barcelona, Spain |
Area served | Worldwide |
Key people | Álvaro Pintado (CEO) |
| Products | Decentralized storage application |
Number of employees | 12 (2024) |
| Website | hello |
hello.app was a peer-to-peer, decentralized storage platform based in Barcelona. Founded in 2022 by Álvaro Pintado and Alexander Baikalov at age 17, it was among the first to offer distributed storage on mobile devices, allowing users to monetize unused space via blockchain.[1]
It aimed to replace centralized server infrastructure by using existing personal devices as nodes in a fragmented, distributed and encrypted network. In this model, phones, tablets, and laptops would collectively function as storage servers, contributing to a more resilient, worldwide system of data storage with no single point of control.[2]
History
[edit]Conceived in 2021 when Pintado, 17, built the beta, hello.app launched publicly in January 2022. It gained 100,000 users across 200+ countries within three months and neared 200,000 active users by mid-2024.[3] In December 2023, El Confidencial reported an initial €300,000 raise and Pintado’s goal to rival Google and Amazon.[4] In September 2024, hello.app closed an €800,000 Series B at a €16 million valuation.[5]
Business model
[edit]hello.app uses a sharing-economy model: users rent spare device storage and earn cryptocurrency. Pintado detailed how blockchain ensures data integrity in an Interempresas interview.[6]
Funding
[edit]- Pre-seed (2023): €170,000 from IESE, Esade, Castiventures and Bcombinator; plus a €130,000 participatory loan from ENISA.[7][8]
- Seed (July 2024): €500,000 at a €16 million valuation.[9]
- Crowdfunding (March 2024): Target €2 million, with €300,000 on Seedrs.[10]
- Series B (September 2024): €800,000 at a €16 million valuation.[11]
Domain acquisition
[edit]In October 2023, Pintado paid €107,000 for the domain www
Controversies
[edit]In April 2025, an investor sued Pintado in Barcelona for alleged fraud, citing opaque fund usage and unmet valuation promises.[13]
References
[edit]- ↑ "Barcelona-based hello.app raises €500k". EU-Startups. 3 July 2024.
- ↑ "Young entrepreneurs to launch decentralized storage app hello to take on centralized cloud giants" CryptoSlate. Retrieved 20 September 2025.
- ↑ "Barcelona-based hello.app raises €500k". EU-Startups. 3 July 2024.
- ↑ "Álvaro Pintado asegura que su negocio de almacenamiento en la nube puede competir con Google". El Confidencial. 3 December 2023.
- ↑ "Álvaro Pintado, el barcelonés de 19 años detrás de hello.app". InnovaSpain. 19 September 2024.
- ↑ "Entrevista Álvaro Pintado, CEO de hello.app". Interempresas. May 2024.
- ↑ "Barcelona-based hello.app raises €500k". EU-Startups. 3 July 2024.
- ↑ "ENISA Young Entrepreneurs Loan". ENISA. Retrieved 25 July 2025.
- ↑ "Barcelona-based hello.app Secures €500k in Seed Funding". Startup Rise. 4 July 2024.
- ↑ "Álvaro Pintado, the 19-Year-Old CEO of hello.app Announces €300k Crowdfunding Push". King Newswire. 17 March 2024.
- ↑ "Álvaro Pintado, el barcelonés de 19 años detrás de hello.app". InnovaSpain. 19 September 2024.
- ↑ "hello.app se gasta 107.000€ en el dominio y abre una ronda de 2M€". Emprendedores.es. 29 January 2024.
- ↑ Arantxa Herranz (17 April 2025). "Investor sues Álvaro Pintado alleging fraud over unicorn claims". La Razón.