It seems that every college campus and coffee shop is awash in flyers, with announcements about bands, parties, and for-sale items. But what if all that information could be disseminated digitally, creating a robust and hyperlocal connection?
That's the premise behind
YELLaround, a startup created in 2011 when friends Kyle Case and Trong Dong came to the Twin Cities after graduating from Iowa State University. The pair were struck by the number of activities locally, but still struggled with feeling connected to the city, and realized that much of their information about events came from flyers and newspaper ads.
"We thought that there must be a way to feel engaged with the people around you in a better way," says Case. "We envisioned an app that would connect you to a community quickly."
They started YELLaround to build the app, and just released the first iteration to the App Store on iTunes in January. Although it's early in the sales cycle to get an idea of popularity, Case is feeling confident that it'll catch on, based on the positive reaction of the first wave of users. The app works by broadcasting a message over a 20-mile radius, making it ideal for local events, and users can expand the range with a feature called "echo."
To extend the app's reach, Case and Dong are focusing on event organizers, but they see a broader future ahead. Case says, "We want it to be a local communication venture, where you can connect with people around you without having to use formal systems like Facebook. You can see why traffic is backed up, or find people to start a band. It's an open platform to connect."
Source: Kyle Case, YELLaround
Writer: Elizabeth Millard