Swsh, a new social app developed by Gen Zers for Gen Zers, aims to revolutionize the way young individuals connect and strengthen their friendships. Unlike many social media platforms that prioritize follower counts and superficial connections, Swsh focuses on fostering genuine and authentic relationships.
Key Takeaway
Swsh is a new social app designed for Gen Zers that prioritizes authentic friendships rather than surface-level connections. With its “Most Likely To” game-inspired daily polls, users can engage and have a fun-filled experience with their friends. Swsh aims to revolutionize social media by providing an effortless and enjoyable way to build and maintain meaningful relationships.
Bringing the Most Likely To Game to Your Phone
Swsh takes inspiration from the classic “Most Likely To” game, a popular party icebreaker that encourages fun and laughter among friends. The app transforms this game into a daily interactive experience accessible through mobile devices, enabling users to participate in these entertaining activities both in person and virtually.
Each day at 9 PM, Swsh users engage with their friends by answering five “Most Likely To” questions. They vote on who is most likely to engage in various scenarios, such as “dancing with a stranger” or “partying till 3 AM and then working out at 6 AM.” Users earn superlatives and points based on the number of votes they receive. The app also features a comment section where users can engage in lively debates about which friend best fits each description.
Powerful Polls Curated by the Swsh Team
Swsh collaborates with OpenAI’s ChatGPT technology to power its polls and ensure an engaging user experience. The app’s team of four curates the questions to ensure the content remains fun, relevant, and enjoyable for its users.
Expanding the Swsh Experience
Swsh has exciting plans to expand its in-app experiences to further enhance friendships and make it enjoyable to stay connected with friends beyond the app. Future features include the ability to post photos after an event and share voice memos, providing users with natural ways to keep in touch and share memorable moments.
Swsh’s public beta launched in September, and the official app launch is scheduled for early 2024. Currently, the app is only available on iOS devices, but an Android version is in the works.
The Swsh Vision
The app’s name, Swsh, originates from the phrase “See you again, somewhere, somehow,” coined by Swsh’s CEO and co-founder, Alexandra Debow. Debow, a Canadian raised in Hong Kong, grew tired of saying goodbye to friends she met during her travels. She recognized the need for a platform that facilitates effortless and enjoyable connections, eliminating the confusion between true friendships and followers commonly found on social media platforms.
Notable individuals behind Swsh’s creation include Weilyn Chong, the COO and a Princeton University economics and computer science student, and Nathan Ahn, the CTO and a computer science graduate from Yale. Both Chong and Ahn have a strong background in entrepreneurship and technological innovation.
Securing Pre-Seed Funding
Swsh recently secured $1.7 million in pre-seed funding, a significant milestone for the startup. This funding will not only support the development of the app but also enable the recruitment of talented engineers to further enhance its features. The round was co-led by Stellation Capital and MaC Venture Capital, with the participation of prominent angel investors such as Glenn Solomon, Cyril Berdugo, and Richard Li.
Shaping the Future of Social Media
The Swsh team aims to follow in the footsteps of iconic platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and Snapchat, which were reinvented by young entrepreneurs. Peter Boyce, the founder of Stellation Capital, believes that Swsh has the potential to become the next consumer platform that revolutionizes how people connect and spend time with their loved ones.
