Remember that it’s the team’s job to build the product, but as a founder your job is to build the right team.
Michael Chmielewski
Feeling lonely despite being surrounded by people? You’re not alone. A new Australian app called Brane is tackling social isolation by creating a space for instant connections based on shared interests.
This innovative solution stemmed from the personal experience of Michael Chmielewski, who in 2012 arrived in Melbourne as a student feeling isolated despite being around people. His love for motorbikes and the difficulty finding fellow riders for spontaneous adventures on social media sparked the idea for Brane.
“It was really out of frustration that there wasn’t an easy way to find people near me to ride motorbikes with or chat to about Star Wars,” Mike recalled. “I realised it was easier to find someone to go on a date with than it was to chat or meet people that shared your interests. At the same time, the loneliness epidemic began escalating; a symptom of the way existing social media works.”
Over the years, he settled in Melbourne, making friends through study and work, but still felt something missing. During tough times like a motorcycle accident in 2017 and his mother’s illness in 2019, he craved casual conversations about things like the latest Star Wars movie, but found no platform for instant connections with like-minded people. So Chmielewski teamed up with his friends Greg Kodikara and Christian Mengler to create Brane, a new app. Their goal? To solve the problem of quickly connecting with people nearby who share similar interests, a challenge not adequately addressed by existing social media or dating apps.
Launched in 2022, Brane boasts 80,000 users and stands out from traditional social media by prioritizing new connections based on shared interests, rather than simply maintaining existing ones. The app utilizes AI to automatically match users based on their location and interests, facilitating instant connections with people nearby who share your passions.
Choosing the Right Partnerships
Pre-revenue your reputation is your currency and working with the right strategic partners builds value.
Mike emphasised the significance of strategic partnerships and choosing the right commercial clients. He acknowledged the temptation for startups to collaborate with any available opportunity but stressed the importance of selecting partners wisely.
“It’s tempting to work with whoever you can when you’re a startup grinding for every win, but it’s important to choose the right partners. Pre-revenue your reputation is your currency and working with the right strategic partners builds value.
“One notable strategic partnership is our alliance with Formula 1 racing legend Juan Pablo Montoya and his son Sebastián, who’ve come on board as part-owners and brand ambassadors.
“Juan Pablo and Sebastián use Brane to connect with local people while travelling, and having them on board helps to reduce some of the stigma around loneliness – particularly among men – because it proves that even world-famous racing legends are looking to meet new like-minded friends. Plus, Juan Pablo has signed on as a business customer for his driving school Team Montoya. This is a great endorsement of Brane’s ability to create communities of people that like their brand, product or service (“Crowds”) and automatically grow interested audiences via AI that matches the user’s interests to the organisation’s brand values.”
“In terms of staying ahead, the founding team are all experienced in their respective complimentary fields, and we’ve all worked together in one way or the other before, meaning our internal learning curve isn’t as high.
“We’re also very agile, we make decisions quickly and pivot when the need arises without over thinking because we trust one another’s capabilities. We’re not married to one particular solution or tool, we’re committed to being the best we can be.”
Focus on shared interests, not just existing networks
Brane offers a distinct solution to combat loneliness by providing a novel way for individuals to connect with others who share similar interests, utilizing AI for automatic matching based on interests and location.
“Facebook, for example, is great for keeping you in touch with friends from high school, but it’s not ideal for finding instant one-on-one or group chats with people who like the same things as you do. If you don’t know that someone likes something, and you don’t even know their name, how do you message them? Well, now you use Brane.
“If you don’t know that someone likes something, and you don’t even know their name, how do you message them? Well, now you use Brane,” Mike said.
Challenges faced
Set out to solve a problem you’re familiar with. That way, you can pivot easily when technology changes and you’re not married to one solution or platform.
Mike expressed that challenges arise daily, but the team finds enjoyment in tackling them due to their belief in the project’s purpose.
“There’s a challenge every day, but we believe in what we’re doing so it’s fun. We’ve gamified ourselves and we enjoy the challenges because they come right before a (hopeful) win.
“An example of a challenge that turned into a “win” was seamlessly integrating our platform into a client’s app, while ensuring users could effortlessly switch to using our app without any disruptions. Syncing the conversation and experience between both, we prioritized a seamless integration, enabling users to engage with our app directly within the client’s interface. This approach not only streamlined the user experience but also meant users could engage with one another without losing any functionality, across multiple apps. Ultimately, this solution turned into one of our most notable USPs.”
Mike stressed the importance of tackling problems the team knows well. This way, they can adapt easily to changes in technology without getting stuck on one solution. It’s all about staying flexible and ready for whatever comes next.
“Set out to solve a problem you’re familiar with. That way, you can pivot easily when technology changes and you’re not married to one solution or platform. Remember that it’s the team’s job to build the product, but as a founder your job is to build the right team.”
“I’m so proud to see Brane enter the next big growth phase, twelve years after I first had the idea,” says Chmielewski. “To get endorsement from two racing legends is proof that the concept fills a gap in the market, and has the goods to go up against the big social media platforms. The track ahead looks good for us.”
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