Sharify - Rediscover Your City's Social Side

The Pandemic's Impact on Urban Social Life

The recent pandemic has fundamentally altered numerous facets of city living, but perhaps the most noticeable change is the disruption to the social lives of urban residents. Curfews have curtailed nightlife across much of the Western world, and social distancing protocols have complicated opportunities for connecting with individuals outside of established social circles. The simple act of venturing out has become a significant undertaking for many.

For many city dwellers, the ability to temporarily escape urban environments – through travel, for example – remains limited or entirely impossible, contingent upon their location. COVID-19 may have inadvertently reversed the perceived benefits of city living, despite the easing of stringent lockdowns and the ongoing, albeit gradual, vaccine rollout.

Introducing Sharify: A Real-Time Events App

Discovering Local Happenings

Sharify is a startup aiming to address the sense of stagnation experienced by many during pandemic-affected city life. This real-time events application, available for both iOS and Android, seeks to recapture the spontaneous joy of urban exploration by simplifying the discovery of nearby activities – potentially just a few blocks away. It achieves this by integrating real-time event listings with a map-based interface, utilizing emoji-style icons and filters to present a cheerful and readily accessible overview of local happenings.

COVID-19 Safety Measures

Although the initial concept for Sharify predates the pandemic, the company acknowledges the changes it has brought about. The app highlights events deemed COVID-19 ‘safe’ with a star icon, indicating that organizers have implemented measures to mitigate contagion risk, such as capacity control, hand sanitizer availability, and safe distancing of seating. These measures often align with legal requirements for businesses to remain operational.

User-Generated Plans and Social Interaction

Furthermore, Sharify allows users to share their own meeting plans with others, potentially facilitating spontaneous gatherings for activities like music sessions or park hangouts. The app’s suitability for the current pandemic context, however, depends on responsible usage.

Sharify's Broader Vision and Features

Reframing Travel and Exploration

Sharify encourages users to reconsider traditional notions of travel, shifting focus towards discovering local entertainment without extensive planning or long-distance journeys. In the current climate, this approach represents a viable alternative for many.

Two View Modes: Local and Tourist

The app offers two distinct viewing modes: one tailored to local events and another designed for tourists seeking typical sightseeing experiences. Content for the tourist view is currently limited, reflecting the broader decline in tourism. The concept of traditional tourism itself is evolving, with a growing emphasis on exploring one’s immediate surroundings.

Current Availability and Expansion

Sharify is officially launched in Barcelona, Madrid, and New York City, but the company reports rapid expansion and claims a presence in over 25 cities worldwide, albeit with varying levels of event coverage.

App Functionality and User Experience

Testing the app in Barcelona revealed a range of local events, including art exhibitions, comedy shows, theatre performances, markets, yoga classes, and skateboarding events, all within a short distance. Simply seeing that activities were still taking place in a city that had felt largely closed off for nearly a year was a significant observation.

Encouraging Social Connection

Sharify provides key event details, including time, location, and website links. Users can also indicate their intent to attend an event, making their plans visible to others. A per-event chat feature allows attendees to connect and discuss the event, fostering a sense of community and encouraging participation, even without a pre-existing group of friends.

Sharify's Growth and User Engagement

User Statistics and Engagement

Sharify does not disclose its total user base but reports over 100,000 monthly event views (3,000+ daily) and 5,000+ events listed each month. The app has also achieved over 10,000 installs on Google Play.

High "Join" Rate for User-Created Events

The app boasts an impressive 95% "join" rate for user-created events, although expressing interest in an event does not guarantee attendance.

Interactive Map Features

Sharify utilizes a smiley face icon on the map to indicate locations where multiple users are planning to share events, displaying the number of potential attendees and encouraging users to create their own plans to tap into this network.

User Profiles and Social Interaction

Users can view micro-profiles of other socially active locals, including their first name, photo, and selected interests. Importantly, the app does not allow direct messaging between users, preventing unwanted spam.

The Evolving Landscape of Location-Based Social Apps

Context and Innovation

Location-based and social sharing applications are not novel concepts, having been explored numerous times in the tech industry. However, the current context – an ongoing pandemic and evolving social norms – presents a unique opportunity for innovation.

Shifting Priorities: Local and Virtual Experiences

Traditional travel plans are often disrupted, and social interactions are limited. Consequently, local and virtual experiences have gained prominence. Sharify positions itself as a solution by providing a real-time map of nearby events.

Sharify's Unique Approach

Gemma Prenafeta, co-founder and CEO of Sharify, explains that the app was developed in response to the limitations of traditional event agendas. She emphasizes the need for a real-time map that allows users to quickly discover nearby activities. She also anticipates the app’s role in helping local businesses announce their reopenings as conditions improve.

Comparison to Existing Platforms

While social maps like Snap Map share some similarities, Sharify prioritizes event discovery over friend location sharing. Other event discovery startups, such as IRL, have pivoted to virtual events or social networking features, while Sharify maintains a focus on immediacy and hyper-local experiences.

The Future of Real-Time Event Mapping

Prenafeta highlights the “immediacy” factor as a key differentiator for Sharify, framing local events as “Local Trips” and suggesting that alternative modes of transportation, such as scooters, can facilitate access to these experiences.

The long-term viability of Sharify as a standalone business or as a feature within a larger platform remains to be seen. Google’s recent addition of a ‘Community Feed’ to Maps and Facebook’s existing ‘Events Near Me’ feature demonstrate the potential for integration within established platforms. However, Sharify’s independent approach and fresh perspective may attract users seeking an alternative to these larger, more established networks.

Conclusion

Sharify offers a compelling solution for individuals seeking to rediscover their cities and connect with others in a socially distanced world. The app’s effortless interface and focus on local events provide a sense of possibility and encourage exploration.

By layering on tools that facilitate social interaction, Sharify adds a subtle but potentially powerful hook in these challenging times. As Prenafeta suggests, knowing what’s open and accessible nearby is more important than ever. Sharify is well-positioned to capitalize on this need and help users navigate the evolving landscape of urban life.

The Barcelona-based startup has secured €501,000 (~$600k) in pre-seed and angel funding and is currently preparing for a seed investment round to support its post-pandemic growth.