The Launch of Bluesky: Timeline and Factors Behind Its Rapid Growth

Essential Insights

• Bluesky originated in 2019 as an experimental initiative by then Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey.
• In February 2023, Bluesky debuted as an exclusive iOS beta application, followed by a similar launch for Android later that year.
• The platform opened its doors to the general public in February 2024.

Bluesky has been making headlines lately due to the surge in its user base. However, before it emerged as a formidable contender to Twitter, it spent considerable time in a protected developmental phase.

Initially, Bluesky was conceived in 2019 under the direction of Jack Dorsey, with the goal of experimenting with a decentralized alternative to Twitter. The social media giant provided both initial funding and research support for this ambitious project. By the year 2021, Bluesky had transitioned into an independent organization.

Following Elon Musk’s acquisition of Twitter, any existing connections between the two platforms were dissoluted permanently. Thankfully, Bluesky was well-prepared to embark on its independent journey and quickly advanced through development phases, culminating in its launch as an invite-only iOS app in February 2023.

A few months later, the app was introduced for Android, which contributed significantly to its rise in popularity. By mid-2023, Bluesky successfully raised $8 million, facilitating further expansion. In February 2024, the app finally eliminated its invitation-only structure, becoming accessible to the wider public. Since then, Bluesky has seen consistent growth, further accelerated by recent changes to X’s terms of service regarding data usage for training its AI, Grok.

Bluesky’s journey has been marked by turbulence and unpredictability. Nevertheless, thanks to supportive investors, a talented team, and a few pivotal industry developments, it has emerged as the quickest-growing social media application today.