Human desire for engagement is insatiable and constantly need to be fueled. Positive social connections contribute to better mental health and have the ability to make one feel joyful and dramatically improve one’s mood.
With so many activities and enjoyable sites to choose from, it can be tough to decide where to go and what activities will best suit one’s interests.
Faaji, a Nigerian startup, is providing a solution to this question and is exploring a fun way for people to have social interactions and attend events that suit their personalities.
The Faaji app connects individuals with events happening around their city, including concerts, house parties, beach parties, raves, and more, making individual plans for a fun-filled December and beyond a reality.
According to Co-founder and product manager, Ayo Olagunju, FaajiApp is not strictly a ticketing platform like other platforms. It just has the ability to connect users to the kind of experience they crave.
He noted that the company recognizes the fact that human interest can quickly flicker and intends to provide fun spots that suit every pressing social desire.
“Faaji is not a ticketing platform every time because, unlike other platforms that you visit strictly when you want to get a ticket for an event/party or pay for access, Faaji is a platform we want people to visit whenever they feel the urge for a different kind of experience.”
Ayo Olagunju, Co-founder and product manager
How does the platform work?
Faaji provides its users with a simple way to find the unique social engagement they seek by recommending events based on the matching interests they indicate on the app.
As a new user, the Faaji app asks which animal best depicts one’s party style, then requires each user to proceed on filling out an interest form, which is then used to recommend events.
According to the company, the application connects users with an experience they never knew existed. It matches them with unique interests at that point in time instead of having to search for an event through other means.
The user gets to see all the options and also clicks on them to find out more details about the time, location, description, what to expect, ticket cost, and how many people have signed up.
According to the company, when the mobile app is rolled out, users will also be able to get a real-time update on how the event is going based on attendance, performances, and general activities.
It says an account is created for a user when they choose an event, and they are further taken to the checkout page in a situation where the event selected is a ticketed event. A confirmation mail is sent to the user with the full event details and access code required.
Founded during the Pandemic
The Faaji App was co-founded by Ayo Olagunju and Moyo Ajibade in November 2020, months after many businesses have begun to adopt the work-from-home model and individuals crave engagement.
The app is intended to provide an opportunity for like-minded individuals to gather together, rather than a gathering of dispersed minds.
It noted that “people of similar interests tend to have more fun together than a gathering of dispersed people.”
The company was built alongside Femi Bamidele, Rex Ijiekhuamen and CJ Mac-Eze, who are currently part of the team at Faaji. The app provides a central place where people can list the events they want to attend and find those of similar interest there.
‘Faaji’ is a Yoruba word that means enjoyment, and the company aims to provide this to users. However, they try to make their definition of fun more encompassing.
“No two people have the same definition of enjoyment. So what we intend to do going forward is to have a different variety of events, from salsa dancing to yoga classes, fencing, to quad biking, and so many more interesting things happening that people are not aware of”.
Plans for a mobile app
The Faaji app is currently available via the website, but the company has also announced plans to roll out a mobile application in early Q1 2022.
The company says it has built up the mobile app to 70% with plans to unveil them as soon as pending updates are made. It says it is also undergoing a learning process to understand how users make use of the platform and specific product-market fit. “Once we validate those things, we put them out there for our users”
Pricing plans
Faaji is currently free for all users. There are no charges for using its app, but it has a markup pricing model on all the tickets listed on the app.
The company says it doesn’t intend to exploit users, rather there are other advertising revenue, partner programs, and so many other models they have baked into the products.
The company is currently working on updates for its web platforms, including the intention to subsidize cab fares to events whose tickets were purchased via the app.
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