AltStore, a pioneering third-party app marketplace in the European Union, has secured $6 million in Series A funding from Pace Capital and is now integrating its platform with the fediverse to revolutionize how users interact with app updates.
Strategic Funding and Global Expansion
The $6 million investment grants Pace Capital a 15% equity stake in the startup. This capital infusion arrives at a pivotal moment, as co-founders Riley Testut and Shane Gill look to scale their operations beyond the EU. With plans to launch in Australia, Japan, and Brazil this year, the New York-based team is prioritizing aggressive recruitment to handle international growth.
Furthermore, Flipboard CEO Mike McCue, a prominent advocate for the fediverse, has joined the company’s board of directors to help guide this expansion.
Market Momentum and Developer Adoption
Since the EU’s Digital Markets Act (DMA) forced Apple to open its ecosystem, AltStore has built a robust catalog. Starting with the Delta emulator, the platform has expanded to include virtual machines like UTM, partnerships with Epic Games for Fortnite, and even adult-oriented applications like Hot Tub.
With over 100 active developers, the store distinguishes itself by allowing self-publishing and supporting diverse monetization models, including subscriptions and user donations. Testut reports that the platform now boasts hundreds of thousands of users.
Building a Social Layer via the Fediverse
AltStore is now launching its own Mastodon server, utilizing the ActivityPub protocol. This integration allows developers to automatically push app updates directly to users’ timelines on platforms like Mastodon or Threads.
“It’s adding a social layer,” Testut explains. “People can reply to apps from their Mastodon account and like content from their Threads account.” The company also intends to bridge this service with Bluesky, further embedding the app store into the open social web.
Commitment to the Open Web
In a move to support the infrastructure that makes this social integration possible, AltStore has pledged $500,000 to various fediverse projects. Recipients of these donations include Mastodon gGmbH ($300,000), Bridgy Fed, Ivory + Phoenix, Tapestry, mstdn.social, Akkoma, PeerTube, BookWyrm, and Fedify.
