Bitstrips

Bitstrips was a Canadian media and technology company and digital creativity brand based in Toronto. Founded in 2007 by Jacob Blackstock, David Kennedy, Shahan Panth, Dorian Baldwin, and Jesse Brown, it developed tools that allowed people to create comic strips without needing conventional drawing skills. Users could select and personalize avatars, place them in preset scenes, choose poses and expressions, and assemble the results into short comics. The concept was rooted in the idea that comics could become a form of everyday communication and self-expression rather than a medium limited to professional artists. The company was co-developed by comic artist Jacob Blackstock and journalist Jesse Brown. Their original premise was that the labor involved in repeatedly drawing characters and panels prevented many people from telling stories visually. Bitstrips sought to reduce that barrier through a library of reusable digital components. The product was publicly presented at South by Southwest in Austin, Texas, in 2008. It subsequently explored education as an important use case, launching Bitstrips for Schools in 2009 after pilot activity in Ontario schools. Educators used the service in language and classroom activities, where students could express ideas through short, visual narratives. Bitstrips expanded beyond its initial web service through social and mobile distribution. A Facebook version launched in December 2012, and the service experienced rapid growth during 2013. By July of that year, the Facebook product reportedly had 10 million unique users and had been used to create more than 50 million comics. A mobile application followed in October 2013. Within two months, it had become one of the most downloaded applications in 40 countries, while users had created more than 30 million avatars. The service's popularity reflected the appeal of combining personalization, social sharing, and lightweight visual storytelling. In 2014, Bitstrips broadened its product strategy with Bitmoji, a spin-off application focused on personalized stickers for messaging. Bitmoji retained the customizable character concept but shifted the primary use from multi-panel comic creation toward quick expressive communication. The company raised funding from Horizons Ventures and Li Ka-shing in November 2013, supporting its expansion across platforms. Snapchat Inc. announced the acquisition of Bitstrips in July 2016. After the transaction, the original Bitstrips comic service was discontinued, while Bitmoji remained available and became increasingly integrated into Snapchat's broader product ecosystem. Bitstrips therefore survives mainly as the origin of the Bitmoji product and brand lineage rather than as an operating comic platform. The company's Toronto staff continued operating from the city after the acquisition, but the standalone Bitstrips service no longer operated.

Bitstrips emerged in Toronto in 2007 from a collaboration between comic artist Jacob Blackstock and journalist Jesse Brown, alongside co-founders David Kennedy, Shahan Panth, and Dorian Baldwin. The founders wanted to make comic storytelling accessible to ordinary users. Traditional comics require drawing ability, repeated rendering of characters, and substantial time, whereas Bitstrips provided reusable avatars, backgrounds, poses, and templates. Users could therefore make short narratives by arranging visual components rather than drawing every panel themselves. The service was publicly presented at South by Southwest in 2008. Its early identity combined entertainment, social communication, and user-generated content. The founders viewed the platform as a visual medium through which people could represent themselves and their friends. Because users appeared as customizable characters, the application made personal experiences and jokes suitable for sharing in comic form. In 2009, Bitstrips developed an education-oriented version known as Bitstrips for Schools. It was initially piloted in Ontario schools and was used by educators in language-related activities and other classroom exercises. The product received positive attention from teachers who found that its accessible format could encourage students to write and communicate. The educational edition also demonstrated that the underlying technology could serve purposes beyond casual social posting. The company later pursued distribution through established social and mobile platforms. Its Facebook version launched in December 2012. By July 2013, the Facebook product had reportedly attracted 10 million unique users and supported the creation of more than 50 million comics. A mobile app launched in October 2013 and grew quickly, reaching top-download status in 40 countries within two months. More than 30 million avatars had reportedly been created through the mobile service. In November 2013, Bitstrips obtained investment from Horizons Ventures and Li Ka-shing. Bitstrips changed direction with the introduction of Bitmoji in October 2014. Rather than concentrating on complete comic strips, Bitmoji used personalized characters in sticker-like templates designed for instant messaging. This placed the company's character-creation technology within a faster and more frequent communication format. Snapchat Inc. announced that it had acquired Bitstrips in July 2016, following earlier reports about a possible transaction. After the acquisition, Snapchat discontinued the original Bitstrips comic service and concentrated on Bitmoji. The Toronto-based staff continued working from the city, while Bitmoji remained operational and received greater prominence within Snapchat's platform. Bitstrips is consequently a defunct standalone service and corporate brand, but its technology and product legacy continued through Bitmoji.

• 2016

  Acquisition by Snapchat

  [1]Bitstripsen.wikipedia.org

  Snapchat announced the acquisition of Bitstrips; the standalone comic service was later discontinued.

• 2014

  Bitmoji is launched

  [1]Bitstripsen.wikipedia.org

  Bitstrips introduced a spin-off app for personalized messaging stickers.

• 2013

  Mobile expansion and user growth

  [1]Bitstripsen.wikipedia.org

  The company launched a mobile app, reported rapid international download growth, and received new funding.

• 2012

  Facebook version launches

  [1]Bitstripsen.wikipedia.org

  Bitstrips expanded its service to Facebook, accelerating its social distribution.

• 2009

  Bitstrips for Schools begins

  [1]Bitstripsen.wikipedia.org

  The company introduced an education-focused edition that was initially piloted in Ontario schools.

• 2008

  Public unveiling at South by Southwest

  [1]Bitstripsen.wikipedia.org

  Bitstrips presented its avatar-based comic-creation service at the South by Southwest event in Austin, Texas.

• 2007

  Bitstrips is founded in Toronto

  [1]Bitstripsen.wikipedia.org

  Jacob Blackstock, David Kennedy, Shahan Panth, Dorian Baldwin, and Jesse Brown founded the Canadian media and technology company.

Accessible visual self-expression for people who want to create comics or personalized messages without drawing ability.

• Web comic creation platform · 2007

  Bitstrips.com

  The original web application allowed users to create comic strips from customizable avatars, preset templates, backgrounds, and poses. It was designed to let people tell personal stories and jokes without needing to draw characters manually. The service formed the core of the Bitstrips brand before its eventual shutdown following the Snapchat acquisition.

• Educational software · 2009

  Bitstrips for Schools

  Bitstrips for Schools adapted the comic-making platform for classroom use. Initially piloted in Ontario, it was used by educators to engage students in language and communication activities. Its central value was combining structured visual storytelling with an interface that did not require artistic training.

• Mobile social application · 2013

  Bitstrips mobile application

  The mobile application brought avatar-based comic creation to smartphones and helped the brand reach users internationally. It supported the creation and sharing of personalized comics and avatars, and became one of the most downloaded applications in 40 countries within two months of launch, according to the referenced account.

• Personalized messaging stickers · 2014

  Bitmoji

  Bitmoji was launched as a spin-off focused on personalized stickers rather than complete comic strips. Users could create characters based on themselves and place them in different expressive templates for use in messaging. After Snapchat acquired Bitstrips, Bitmoji became the continuing product legacy and received greater integration within Snapchat.

• 2016

  Accept acquisition by SnapchatM&A

  Background

  Snapchat sought to acquire the company and its personalized-avatar technology.

  Action taken

  Snapchat Inc. announced the acquisition of Bitstrips in July 2016.

  Aftermath

  The standalone Bitstrips comic service was shut down, while Bitmoji continued under Snapchat and Bitstrips staff continued operating from Toronto.

  Source

• 2014

  Shift from comic strips toward messaging stickersProduct launch

  Background

  The company used its avatar technology in a communication format that could be shared more quickly than multi-panel comics.

  Action taken

  Bitstrips launched Bitmoji, a spin-off app centered on personalized stickers.

  Aftermath

  Bitmoji became the principal continuing product associated with Bitstrips and later received increased prominence within Snapchat.

  Source

• 2012

  Expand distribution through FacebookStrategy

  Background

  The company sought to make its personalized comics easier to create and share within an established social network.

  Action taken

  Bitstrips launched a Facebook version in December 2012.

  Aftermath

  The Facebook product reached 10 million unique users and more than 50 million created comics by July 2013, according to the referenced material.

  Source

• 2009

  Enter the educational software marketStrategy

  Background

  Bitstrips identified classroom use as an extension of its accessible comic-creation format and piloted an education-oriented version in Ontario schools.

  Action taken

  The company introduced Bitstrips for Schools for use in classroom and language activities.

  Aftermath

  Educators praised the product's engagement value, particularly for student communication and language work.

  Source

1. 1Bitstripsen.wikipedia.org