Guidecatch launches new social app at Africa Tech Summit London

Posted on April 20, 2017

Fatiha Thiam, a Danish-Senegalese entrepreneur decided to quit an 11 year long career in some of the worlds biggest corporations to give people a unique and more spontaneous approach to social media and real-life networking and so launched Guidecatch.

Having released a test version of the app in Copenhagen during summer 2016, the company has grown to several employees and launched the new concept at Africa Tech Summit London today to international media. The African launch will focus on Dakar and Accra, while in Europe Guidecatch will launch in London and Berlin.

GuideCatch aims to connect Africans with those around them – instantly. By making themselves available on an interactive map, users will allow others to check out their profile and initiate an instant conversation with them, and vice-versa. Users will only be able to filter on distance and interests and will thus find each other based solely on shared passions, wherefore it isn’t really dating – but who knows?

GuideCatch aims to take away the awkwardness often related to dating apps, and let people with different backgrounds connect in an instant and more neutral manner, letting relationships and life unfold more naturally. While GuideCatch “cannot guarantee that people will find their new best friend, a soul mate or the perfect business connection” they believe we should all take a chance at life and generally be more open to new encounters.

CEO Fatiha Thiam “Coming from a multicultural background and having lived in several cities around the world, I know how difficult it can be to meet new people and especially to do so “on-demand”.

So what about Safety?
“I think the same safety rules apply as in real life. First time you meet someone it should be done in a public place. And of course people control themselves when they appear as available on the map and when they don’t” explains Thiam.

While we may enjoy being alone from time-to-time, we are still social animals and have all tried to sit alone on our couch because we didn’t have any available friends to hang out with at that exact time, even though we wanted to socialize. GuideCatch now gives you the opportunity to find and connect with new potential friends or business connections who are close by, who are available right now and who share your passions.

To monetise Thaim exlains that they “will introduce an advertising model as well as a premium subscription model in the coming months. In some countries, users can arrange small events and sell tickets for other users through the platform. We already get a commission on these tickets” she adds.