By Tharuniyaa Lakhsmi | 23 August 2024

Minmini, a hyperlocal social media app, laid off around 40 employees from its 100-member team on 16 July, due to cost-cutting and restructuring plans, at least four former employees confirmed to The Bottomline.

Daily Thanthi launched its hyperlocal social media app on 22 January, eight months ago. 

“We have received your resignation and we acknowledge the same,” said the company in the relieving letter dated 16 July. Former employees said the company has portrayed this as voluntary resignation and has provided a three-month severance package to them starting from the day they were laid off.

“I entered the office and everyone looked very sad. I did not know what it was exactly but I heard someone say they were planning for a layoff and then I got a call from the executive assistant and they told me I had been laid off,” a former employee said. Emails sent to Daily Thanthi and Minmini did not elicit a response.

Many Indian media apps such as ShareChat, Chingari, and Moj have failed to sustain and their growth remains stagnated in the long run, according to a report by Apptopia. Sharechat laid off over 15% of its workforce, and Chingari laid off over 50% of its workforce.“ Minmini initially attracted a high volume of downloads but had poor user engagement. Users were uncertain whether the app was a news platform, a social media site, or a marketing tool, which led to its lack of market identity and its downfall.” said a former employee working with the sales team.