The challenge

It's only natural for humans to look for and socialise with the people most similar to them, but this behaviour creates social groups which are difficult to bridge together. This phenomenon can be observed with how little international students interact with locals at a university but also at the lack of interdepartmental communication at large companies.

The solution

SpotYet is a fun and easy-to-use mobile app. It enables users to quickly get to know people they wouldn't meet otherwise . The app works like a game by prompting the players to find each other based on only their photos. During the search, the only form of communication is with emojis, to make the process more fun, but not too easy. Once the players find each other, it is time to start a conversation and find shared interests. You never know how much common ground you could have with a stranger until you talk to them. If nothing comes to mind, the app also suggests ice-breaking questions, which are generated based on user interests. When two minutes pass, the players can validate that they have met each other, earning different achievements. This 2 minute time is the sweet spot between light conversation and staying quiet, forcing players to break the awkward silence. SpotYet can be the perfect tool for integrating employees from different departments in big companies. By using it in private team-building events, employees are brought together and connected in a short period of time, greatly improving the company’s cohesiveness. The app will also have a public widespread use, focusing on students who are at the same place (library, canteen, hangout areas) and probably have something in common. Players only get the photo of a stranger and how many new connections they have made through the app, nothing else. After meeting and talking, they part ways and go back to what they were doing, it's that simple. But next time they are around, they'll have one more familiar face to turn to. Short interactions, many cultures and new acquaintances. Our uniqueness is that players don’t get to choose who they want to find based on preferences, so they are bound to meet people out of their usual social circles. This quick connection comes without any commitments and expectations, which should encourage people to be open to use it. And as they say, a stranger is only a friend you haven't met yet.

This project is being coached by