SWSH is an app currently in pilot at NYU and Princeton University. The name comes from the mantra, “See you SomeWhere SomeHow”. The app is all about keeping your friendships going, even when you can’t see your friends as often as you like. It does this through casual games of ‘most likely’ and polls. The idea clearly has appeal, as the start-up has raised $1.7 million in a recent pre-seed raise.
Ali Debrow, co-founder describes in one blog post how social media is a tool to widen your social connections, but they only really result in followers, not true friends. SWSH is not about widening your social circle, but making your real friendships deeper. When you use the app, every night you are sent five daily ‘most likely’ questions about your friends. You and your friends then vote on these AI generated questions, and can then debate the results in the comments. Debrow describes the end goal as to:
“Build social products to deepen the connections that matter to you; become the easiest and most engaging way to keep in touch with your friends and family around the world.”
It adds to the growing trend of apps that aim to put the social back into social media. And that always starts with closing the circle down, limiting the number of people you connect with, so people can be more true to themselves, more authentic and more relaxed about what they share. It’s easier to share an embarrassing thought or photo with just your besties, rather than the whole internet.
SWSH is currently available on the Apple App Store and is being piloted at East coast Universities. Its funding round saw investment from Stellation Capital and MaC Venture Capital with notable angels including Glenn Solomon, Cory Levy (Z Fellows), Cyril Berdugo, Patrick de Picciotto, Ansh Nanda, Richard Li, and others.
