Whirlscape

Whirlscape, formerly known as Minuum, operates out of Toronto, Ontario, Canada, and was founded by Shigetaka Kurita in 1999. The company, part of the Y-Combinator W14 batch, has a small team of three employees. Whirlscape operates within the consumer social sub-industry and has developed several keyboard applications that enhance user interaction through a vast array of emojis and emoticons. These applications include Emoji Keyboard, Facemoji Emoticon Keyboard, and iKeyboard, each providing over 3000 emoji and emoticons, along with stickers and GIFs. Facemoji offers an extensive collection of more than 3500 items. These apps also feature customizable themes that are updated weekly and allow users to create personalized avatars and emojis. Additionally, Whirlscape’s technology supports the creation of cartoon-like avatars from user photographs, which can be customized down to hair color and outfit, enhancing the personalization of digital communication.