IRL is an interesting beast as social apps go: part calendar, part group messaging. According to TechCrunch it has just raised $170m of Series C funding, at a valuation of $1.17bn. This, despite being relatively small in social network terms: it has 12 million monthly active users.
IRL started as mainly a way to help people find real-world events to go to, before a Covid-related pivot to online events like livestreams and esports competitions. It’s aimed particularly at younger Gen-Z people. “They essentially use Snapchat, Instagram and TikTok, but there is no groups and events product for that generation,” suggested CEO Abraham Shafi. He’s certainly ambitions, describing IRL as a potential “WeChat of the West” in the interview. The piece hints at plans for a big integration with TikTok in the coming weeks. One to watch, particularly for our industry with its blend of online and real-world events.
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