Linkup, a new app revolutionising the way people connect and interact in the digital age, is launching in Manchester on the 15th September just in time for Manchester freshers’ week.
A pioneering new social app with a mission to take the pressure off of making new friends, Linkup recently closed a half a million dollars pre-seed round, with investment from hip hop duo Krept & Konan, YouTuber Calfreezy and other YouTubers and footballers. The app is open for pre-registration to be the first to be notified when it launches in just one month, on 15th September.
Linkup is trailblazing a new era of community and socialising, offering users a unique way to connect with different types of events and new people in their area. Based on categories of interest, from sport to drinks to fitness, linkups are easily created in the user-friendly app and tackle the problem of loneliness and anxiety around socialising head-on.
The Linkup mission is to be the global solution for like-minded people to meet and connect in the real world, by doing the things they love, or discovering a new passion. The app features a swipe through of different events, or ‘linkups’, happening nearby, a chat function to speak to people before attending and get the details, specific location services and integrated core safety features.
Ben Whatson, co-founder of Linkup and Manchester local, said: “Very simply, we want to help people socialise, meet and connect in the real world and I see Manchester as the perfect place to start. The pandemic coupled with a big focus on digital innovation has left people lonely, particularly Generation Z now known as the loneliest generation ever. We want to empower people to use technology positively to break out of those cycles and therefore it was key to our mission to provide something seamless, easy to use and ultimately fun; a social app that actually makes you social.”
Given that Manchester has one of the largest European student populations with over 96, 200 students (17, 500 are international), launching the app in Manchester was an easy decision for the founders; one of whom, Ben Whatson, was born and raised in the city.
Often described as the most connected generation, a concerning 73% of Generation Z have reported feeling lonely. A nationwide survey of over 55,000 people led by The University of Manchester itself along with BBC Radio 4 found similar results, proving that 16-24 year olds experience loneliness more often, and more intensely than any other age group.
The thriving technology industry has resulted in fewer reasons to need to leave home: from food delivery services to endless entertainment on TikTok to more films available on streaming platforms and immersive games in the metaverse; and a global pandemic that ate into the most socially developmental years of the generation, there is a sense of loss of how to connect with new people again. With no tools or support to return back to normal society, many young people have been left in a rut of social anxiety, seeking comfort in isolation.
“We’re building a community and we can’t wait to see Linkup take over Manchester in a few weeks. It’s been a challenging two years and the thriving student community deserves a genuine social tool, and incoming freshers will have something in their pocket that helps them experience the best Manchester has to offer,” continued Ben.
Determined to spark an authentic movement, Linkup is leading the social charge with backing from big names in the entertainment industry and key early investors and adopters. Amongst them was Tappable, a UK app development company, which recognised the ambition and potential of Linkup’s core values and principles.
Sam Furr, Tappable founder, said: “Jack and Ben are building something genuinely exciting and important to the society we live in today. A product that encourages people to go out and meet other people with similar interests and form new relationships and genuinely get social again. After the few years we have had I can’t think of anything more valuable to society, particularly to the younger generations. Tappable saw the Linkup proposition was unique and was keen to be part of building a platform to tackle the problem of loneliness.”
Launching in just one month in the Apple App Store and Google Play Store, to give Manchester a fresh burst of life. The app is also on the hunt for student ambassadors who embody the Linkup mission and want to be a core part of the growing community.
