Balram Kumawat is cited as the founder and CEO of VidMate.
However, the ownership and development history are complex, involving Chinese tech conglomerate Alibaba and subsequent business transfers.
A complex corporate lineage
While Kumawat is the founder, the app's origins trace back to UCWeb, a subsidiary of the Chinese tech giant Alibaba. For a period, VidMate was developed and owned by UCWeb, and this connection was widely reported in tech media.
A controversial history and shift in ownership
In 2019, BuzzFeed News and cybersecurity firm Upstream released reports detailing allegations that the VidMate app was engaging in malicious activities. These activities included:
- Charging users for unauthorized mobile subscriptions.
- Draining phone batteries and data.
- Displaying invisible ads and generating fraudulent clicks.
At the time, VidMate was not available on the Google Play Store, requiring users to download it from third-party app stores, which presents potential security risks.
In response to the allegations, a spokesperson for VidMate stated that any suspicious behavior was caused by third-party software development kits (SDKs) and partners. The company also claimed that the app and its trademarks had been sold to a new, independent entity in 2018, before the reports were published.
The rise of Nemo Inc. and Guangzhou Nemo Fish Technology Co.
This new entity is identified as Guangzhou Nemo Fish Technology Co., which acquired the VidMate business from UCWeb. A press release from Nemo Technology in 2019 confirmed its separation from UCWeb and Alibaba. The company stated that while it employs former UCWeb personnel, it is an independent business. The shareholder information provided by Nemo shows that former UCWeb CTO Liang Jie and director of overseas marketing Li Li became key shareholders in the new operation. This shift appears to have created two distinct narratives:
- The Alibaba/UCWeb link: Some reports continue to reference the app's connection to Alibaba and UCWeb, likely because of its well-documented origins.
- The independent startup: Other sources, including Crunchbase, refer to VidMate as a separate software company and list Balram Kumawat as its founder and CEO, reflecting its post-UCWeb corporate structure.
Discrepancies in company records
Adding to the complexity, various corporate records present a confusing picture:
- A 2025 Tracxn profile describes "VidMate App" as an Indian company founded in 2015, which contradicts the Chinese-origin story.
- A 2019 PR Newswire release from Nemo Inc. states that the VidMate business was transferred to them and that the company is based in Guangzhou.
- Crunchbase profiles for VidMate list Balram Kumawat as the founder, sometimes associated with "Nemo inc".
Conclusion: No single "father"
In summary, while Balram Kumawat is cited as the founder of VidMate in some contexts, the app's history is more complicated than a single individual's creation. It was originally developed by the Chinese company UCWeb, an Alibaba subsidiary, before a corporate transfer placed it under the ownership of Guangzhou Nemo Fish Technology Co.. Given its controversial past and multiple shifts in corporate ownership, there is no single "father" of VidMate, but rather a complex lineage involving various entities and individuals.