NYC’s Tracks renames itself after its photo-sharing app, Kanvas, and pulls in $1M

Sometimes, a spinoff app ends up becoming even more successful than its parent company.

That was was the case for Twitter, and it’s also true New York City-based Tracks. After launching the photo sharing spinoff app Kanvas last year, Tracks is announcing today that it’s completely rebranding to Kanvas. The goal: Doubling down on that app’s success.

Additionally, the company is announcing that it has received $1 million in seed funding from KEC Ventures, Scout Ventures, Dace Ventures, and others.

While Tracks went through a couple iterations — first as a private social network, then as a stylish way for sharing your life experiences — Kanvas has had a singular focus since it launched: Letting you do fun things with photos, such as adding text, drawings, and sound, and then easily share them with friends.

Without sharing any concrete metrics, founder and CEO Vic Singh tells me Singh tells me the app’s engagement is “skyrocketing.” Kanvas now sees its daily users coming back five to ten times every day, he said, and the company has recently added virtual goods, as well as fun ways for users to earn those goods by engaging with the community, to encourage repeat visits.

And what of Tracks? Singh says the company is now looking for suitors for its original app, and it won’t be spending any more time adding new features.

Kanvas also recently added chat functionality, which brings the app into territory similar to Kik and WhatsApp. But while those apps typically focus on letting you chat with friends, Singh says Kanvas’s chat actually lets you meet new people.