Koo Co-founder Mayank Bidawatka Shuts Down AI Startup PicSee
The closure marks Mayank Bidawatka's second startup shutdown in recent years.
Mayank Bidawatka, co-founder of social media platform Koo, has shut down his AI-powered photo-sharing startup PicSee less than a year after its launch. Rather than pursuing another business pivot, the founders have decided to return the remaining capital to investors.
Launched in October 2025 by Mayank Bidawatka and former Koo executive Sarthak Gupta under their venture studio Billion Hearts, PicSee was built to help users find their photos from large image collections using artificial intelligence. The startup raised $4 million in seed funding from investors including General Catalyst, Blume Ventures, Peak XV Partners’ Surge, Kae Capital, and several angel investors.
According to the founders, PicSee gained encouraging early traction and attracted hundreds of thousands of users, demonstrating strong interest in AI-powered photo discovery. However, after evaluating user behaviour, retention, and long-term monetisation potential, they concluded that the product did not represent a sufficiently large and sustainable business opportunity.
Instead of continuing to experiment with new directions, the company decided to wind down operations and return the unused capital to its investors. The founders have not disclosed the amount being returned.
The closure marks Mayank Bidawatka’s second startup shutdown in recent years. His previous venture, Koo, ceased operations in 2024 after failing to secure fresh funding or a strategic acquisition despite emerging as one of India’s most prominent alternatives to X (formerly Twitter).
While PicSee has been discontinued, the founders have indicated that Billion Hearts will continue operating as a venture studio, leaving the door open for future AI-focused products and startups.