Clubhouse gains momentum as Big Tech leaders join

Recent appearances from Mark Zuckerberg and Elon Musk on Clubhouse are bringing attention to the venture-backed audio social network, which has also seen a boost in downloads over the past few weeks.Yes, but: The app is already beginning to face the same growing pains that other upstart social networks have experienced for years. For example, Clubhouse — which requires an invite to access — is reportedly already being blocked in China.Support safe, smart, sane journalism. Sign up for Axios Newsletters here.By the numbers: Clubhouse has been downloaded about 4.7 million times to date since launch, according to Apptopia.It’s been growing a lot faster in the past 90 days, the firm says. It hit 1 million downloads at the end of last year, per Apptopia. For now, it’s only available on iOS.Catch up quick: The app has been available in the App Store since September, after months of quiet testing among tech insiders, though access still requires an invite.The company recently raised around $100 million in Series B funding led by existing investor Andreessen Horowitz at a $1 billion post-money valuation.Between the lines: Like any app for social interactions,  » Read More