• Skylight launches publicly after 10 weeks of development with backing from Mark Cuban and Graham & Walker Venture Fund.
  • Built on AT Protocol, Skylight connects with Bluesky's 33.8 million users and other ATProto-based apps.
  • Co-founders Tori White and Reed Harmeyer developed Skylight as a "ban-proof" alternative amid TikTok ban concerns.

Mark Cuban-backed Skylight, a TikTok alternative built on Bluesky's underlying technology, launched publicly on Tuesday after just 10 weeks of development.

The app offers users a decentralized option for sharing short-form videos while connecting to the growing AT Protocol ecosystem.

Co-founders Tori White (CEO) and Reed Harmeyer (CTO) developed Skylight as concerns about a potential TikTok ban in the U.S. grew. White, a former travel influencer turned self-taught developer, worried about losing access to her TikTok community and content.

"We started with distribution," White explained. "I actually made a video before we ever wrote a line of code for this... [so] everyone can follow our journey as we build."

By leveraging the AT Protocol (ATProto), Skylight users can immediately tap into Bluesky's network of over 33.8 million users.

Videos posted on Skylight can be viewed and engaged with across the ATProto ecosystem, including Bluesky and other apps like the photo-centric Flashes.

The app features familiar social video functionality, including an in-app editor, commenting, liking, sharing, user profiles, and following capabilities. Like Bluesky, Skylight supports video uploads up to three minutes in length.

Plans include feed customization with new gestures beyond swiping and scrolling, plus support for sounds, duets, stitching, bookmarks, and playlists.

Harmeyer noted their confidence in ATProto came from observing Bluesky's stability. "The first thing that interested us about ATProto was that Bluesky was not failing," he said at the ATmosphere Conference in Seattle.

White documented Skylight's development journey on TikTok, building a following of nearly 50,000 followers on her @buildwithtori profile, many of whom became early testers.

The app is now publicly available on Apple's App Store following initial testing, and remains in beta on the Google Play Store.

Edited by Annette George