Social app Linkup has signed up 1,500 users in Manchester in its first two weeks and has plans to grow nationwide.
Based in the North West city, Linkup offers users a new way to connect with people in their area. Based on categories of interest, from sport to drinks to fitness, ‘linkups’ are created in the app and tackle the problem of loneliness and anxiety around socialising head-on.
The app features a swipe-through of linkups happening nearby, a chat function to speak to people before attending to get the details, specific location services and integrated safety features.
Soft-launch
“We’ve seen significant interest in the first couple of weeks, having 1,500 users sign up to use the app already,” co-founders Jack Peagam and Ben Whatson tell BusinessCloud.
“Our soft launch, where we targeted Manchester, allowed us to gain a deeper insight into what our users want to see from Linkup.
“Based on user feedback, we have been able to begin updating and improving various features in the app already. Once this is complete, we will be targeting the UK to gain more traction than ever to take socialising to a new level for everyone.
“We have just soft-launched in Manchester, and our next step is to generate users and interest to grow our user base UK-wide. We plan to grow our user base nationally, reaching all corners of the UK.”
Peagam and Whatson, who met at Ravensbourne University in London, previously co-founded Actve, a platform for connecting with fitness creators.
Tappable
The Linkup app was created in partnership with development company Tappable, which is an early investor alongside hip hop duo Krept & Konan, YouTuber Calfreezy and other YouTubers and footballers.
“We’ve worked closely with Tappable from the start,” the co-founders explain. “They agreed to invest a great sum into the business from the get-go. The Tappable team also introduced us to their network of influential connections within the industry, which gave us some added momentum.
“Raj Singh and Sam Furr, founders of Tappable, are our main mentors. They have believed in the concept of Linkup from day one and have been advising us on the right direction from the very start.
“They’ve both run startups before and raised significant capital, and then sold companies. They’ve been through the process and succeeded numerous times so we couldn’t be more thrilled to have their support.”
Peagam and Whatson are Linkup’s only direct employees at present.
“Looking further ahead into the future, and once we have achieved a solid UK base, we will plan for another round of fundraising to expand internationally and significantly grow the team,” they say.