Bitstrips
A Canadian comic-creation platform that enabled users to make personalized strips with customizable avatars, templates, and poses.
Last updated August 25, 2026
AI crawler reads
No AI crawler has read this profile since Oct 28, 2026.
Overview
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.
History
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]Snapchat announced the acquisition of Bitstrips; the standalone comic service was later discontinued.
- 2014
Bitmoji is launched
[1]Bitstrips introduced a spin-off app for personalized messaging stickers.
- 2013
Mobile expansion and user growth
[1]The company launched a mobile app, reported rapid international download growth, and received new funding.
- 2012
Facebook version launches
[1]Bitstrips expanded its service to Facebook, accelerating its social distribution.
- 2009
Bitstrips for Schools begins
[1]The company introduced an education-focused edition that was initially piloted in Ontario schools.
- 2008
Public unveiling at South by Southwest
[1]Bitstrips presented its avatar-based comic-creation service at the South by Southwest event in Austin, Texas.
- 2007
Bitstrips is founded in Toronto
[1]Jacob Blackstock, David Kennedy, Shahan Panth, Dorian Baldwin, and Jesse Brown founded the Canadian media and technology company.
Products and positioning
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.
Brand decisions
2016
Accept acquisition by SnapchatM&ABackground
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.
2014
Shift from comic strips toward messaging stickersProduct launchBackground
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.
2012
Expand distribution through FacebookStrategyBackground
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.
2009
Enter the educational software marketStrategyBackground
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.
Recent events
- 2016
Snapchat acquires Bitstrips[1]
M&A
Snapchat Inc. announced the acquisition of Bitstrips. The original Bitstrips comic service was subsequently shut down while Bitmoji continued under Snapchat.
- 2014
Bitstrips launches Bitmoji[1]
Product launch
The company introduced Bitmoji, a spin-off application for creating personalized stickers featuring user-designed characters.
- 2013
Facebook adoption reaches millions of users[1]
Other
By July 2013, the Facebook version reportedly had 10 million unique users and had generated more than 50 million comics.
- 2013
Bitstrips launches a mobile application[1]
Product launch · Product generation
The mobile app launched in October and reached top-download status in 40 countries within two months; more than 30 million avatars had reportedly been created.
- 2013
Bitstrips receives funding from Horizons Ventures and Li Ka-shing[1]
Other
The company secured a funding round from Horizons Ventures and Li Ka-shing as it expanded its social and mobile products.
- 2012
Bitstrips expands to Facebook[1]
Product launch
A Facebook version brought the personalized comic service to a major social-networking platform.
- 2009
Bitstrips launches an education-focused version[1]
Product launch
The company introduced Bitstrips for Schools after pilot activity in Ontario, positioning comic creation as a classroom and language-learning tool.
- 2008
Bitstrips presents its comic-creation service at South by Southwest[1]
Product launch
Bitstrips publicly introduced its approach to user-generated, avatar-based comic creation at South by Southwest in Austin, Texas.
Sources1 sources
Cite this profile: Cite the canonical profile. /brand-wiki/bitstrips · Editorial policy · How profiles are compiled