Alfonso Cobo’s Unfold app is bringing curated, beautiful Instagram stories to more than 16 million users

Kim Kardashian West, Selena Gomez, Miley Cyrus, and other megawatt stars posted Instagram Stories over the past year that looked like high-end scrapbooks, with photo collages curated against minimalist backgrounds. They were created using templates by Alfonso Cobo, the cofounder of the app Unfold. Cobo launched the app in 2018 with templates—inspired by paper products, indie magazines, and analog photography—designed specifically for Instagram Stories. “It’s all related to our shorter attention spans and desire for real content,” Cobo says. Unfold has 16 million users and is No. 1 in the App Store in seven countries. Cobo expects $8.2 million in revenue in 2019, in part through brand partnerships: Unfold’s branded content studio, launched last November, has created custom templates for Equinox, Tommy Hilfiger, the AIDS nonprofit Product Red, and others. Meanwhile, Cobo debuted Unfold Plus in May 2019, which provides users who pay $2.99 per month with exclusive story templates, stickers, and other features—including a camera inside the app.