A new friendship finding app launched in India last month already has 30,000 sign-ups despite only being available on Google Play so far. Alyke is the app where finding new friends is not an added benefit of the app – but the entire purpose of the app itself.
Founder Jyotiraditya Vajpayee believes that is what is different about friend finding for the younger generation. They have no qualms about the apps being specifically for friend finding, there is no stigma there. He has been working on the app for two-years, after being inspired by his experience living in the UK, and somewhat struggling to find friends. He said:
“This age-group is already used to being on dating apps. They know how it works, and so, it will be easier for them to navigate this space, – We are so used to being on the phone and talking on the phone that if someone approaches you at a grocery store (to become friends), you’d be weirded out. If somebody came to you in a metro station, you’d probably think of it as a threat.”
Alyke keeps the focus on your personality and hobbies, and dedicates far less real estate on the app to pictures of yourself than a dating app would. This is about finding people you will connect with over hobbies and vibes. The app even has fun conversation starters to help you work out quickly if others are on your same wavelength.
Vajpayee dropped out of college to pursue the app, and his small team of nine people have got off to a decent start. An Apple version of the apps is, as you would expect, in the works. And it’s one to keep an eye on, especially for those in India.
