IN REAL LIFE: Meet the social networking app that’s determined to get you off your phone
Most social networking business models rely on users staring idly at a screen for several hours at a time. But a relative newcomer to the field, IRL, has decided to do things differently.
IRL stands for ‘In Real Life’. The app’s promise? To transfer the limitless networking potential of online spaces, into the real world.
“It’s all about building authentic communities,” says Egyptian-born, American-raised founder Abraham Shafi.
The Intimate Internet
IRL is a new breed of social platform created specifically to help users explore their passions by encountering like-minded people. At first, of course, these connections are made online. The big difference is IRL’s commitment to fostering genuine community engagement in the real world.
“People want to create meaningful connections in the real world, in their local communities,” says Shafi.
IRL’s disruptive approach has already inspired the flowering of many thousands of IRL groups and real-life meetups, with robust communities flourishing worldwide — all after making first contact through the app. Everything from yoga classes to art appreciation groups, sports fans and hiking groups.
In Remote Life
The IRL team is riding high today — not least after securing a coveted $170 million SoftBank-led Series C investment that elevated the company to rare ‘unicorn’ status. But things weren’t always looking so rosy at this San Francisco-based startup.
Last summer, along with most other tech firms large and small, IRL was in the headlines over a tragic round of layoffs — a legacy of the Covid pandemic, and the difficult but necessary restructuring required just to stay in business post-pandemic.
In Shafi’s view ‘the most important thing is the perspective you choose for how to deal with challenges.’
Naturally, when the global Coronavirus pandemic first struck three years ago, this fledgling social network looked all set to flounder and die. After all, literally nobody was meeting up ‘in real life’. How on earth could any such business survive?
Shafi quickly pivoted, rebranding IRL to ‘In Remote Life’, finding a way to move with the shifting tide of the global pandemic.
“It’s important to always adapt, and be flexible,” says Shafi today. Before long, his inspired leadership had made IRL the number one-ranked social calendar app on the US App Store.
Into the future
As the world begins to slowly move away from its dreary cycle of Covid variants and fresh waves of lockdowns, the team at IRL, led by Shafi, is in buoyant spirits.
“There’s a whole lot of energy out there,” says Shafi. “People hungry to build quality relationships, and come together around shared ideas and interests.”
Having developed such a strong online offering during the pandemic, IRL has also become a peerless hub for online-only conversations and community growth.
Last year, IRL became an official partner for UFC, taking advantage of IRL’s dynamic interface to help UFC’s army of fans participate in debates and conversations. Fans can even engage directly with the athletes, through IRL, during select pay-per-view events.
Dreams
Shafi and his IRL team aren’t ready to rest on their laurels quite yet. As we leave the turbulent Covid years behind, his quest is on to double down on the company’s success and scale the impact of IRL even further.
“The next big wave of innovation in the online space will not come from the media,” predicts Shafi.
“It’ll be in the experiences, and the impact created, by real people. IRL is ready to grow, and hold its position at the forefront of this revolutionary integration of technology and society.
“It’s our mission, it’s our dream, and we’re ready to make it happen.”
McClatchy newsroom and editorial staff were not involved in the creation of this content.
