What happens when a Silicon Valley veteran, a product management specialist and a stand-up comic come together for a business proposition? They create a mobile app. That’s exactly what Prasanna Jagannathan, Sampath Jagannathan and Murali Satagopan, more family than friends, have done.
Brigge, their brainchild, funded by The Chennai Angels, strives to use technology to help like-minded people connect. “We want to change the way people approach leisure,” says Prasanna. “Our app is a platform for anyone who wants to do something interesting, but do not have company.” So, what exactly is Brigge? Predominantly a Chennai-based app, that’s also available in other centres, it is a social platform where people can discover and participate in activities happening in their areas of interest. How different is it from a Google Doc or a WhatsApp group? “It is both put into one,” explains Sampath. “The difference is that it motivates you to get out there and do the things that you’ve always wanted to.”
Post its preliminary release in the Android platform on September 14, the app — which has already clocked in about 1,000 users — has clicked with groups and individuals; the former for roping in more people for their activities, and the latter for finding company for activities they like to do. From posting neighbourhood runs, organising meetings to discuss terrace gardening techniques, and setting up story-building workshops for children, to getting a couple of neighbourhood kids to join in a game of badminton, the app functions as a curator of events. “We had someone posting details about group board games and that has picked up,” says Murali Satagopan. “People who’re crazy about bikes have met similar-minded folks through the app and gone for long rides.”
Apart from this, the application also lets people create activities in which others can join. Users can also share updates and photos within the activity, besides creating ‘spaces’ to showcase their personal brand, organisation or group. “Our vision is to make every hour of leisure count,” they say. And once that’s done, will users still have the need to use the app? “That’s the whole point,” adds Murali. “We do not want them to spend a lot of time on it. We want them to find something exciting, and get out there.” Finally, why did they choose the name ‘Brigge’? “Well, it had a nice ring to it. And, it’s the old spelling of ‘bridge’.” Goes perfectly with their idea of good ol’ socialising.
