A Social Network App to Connect Aspiring Entrepreneurs with Experts
Thanks to technology, today there are hardly any barriers incurring over effective communication. There are networking apps for different niches and genres available.
However, the field of entrepreneurial help and assistance had been untouched and so we got interested when the founder of an NGO in Spain contacted us.
Our humanitarian client wanted to plow an innovative seed of technology to flourish communication and bridge the gap between seekers of knowledge and the experts.
Get insight into one of our promising efforts to help young aspirants grow successful business ideas.
Objective
Our client was the founder of an NGO in Spain and he wanted us to make an app that would be helpful to society. The NGO’s aim was to boost learning and awareness amongst the youth so that they turn out to become successful entrepreneurs in the future. They made constant efforts to connect the youth with experienced professionals across the world so that valuable information can be exchanged.
We objectified this vision of the NGO digitally, by creating a social network app for the purpose of professional knowledge sharing. Aspiring entrepreneurs can get in touch with expert industry professionals and ask them their queries and seek guided advice.
Challenges
Before planning the functionality of this unique type of social network app, we had to think over the following aspects:
- To allow the experts to learn along with teaching or advising
- To verify the genuineness of the experts/mentors
- To ensure if experts are not overburdened by questions
Our approach
We analyzed and devised a system where a user can be Mentor, Mentee, or both. One can toggle between his roles as a mentor or mentee while using this social network app. A mentee can start communicating with the mentor, only on the mentor’s acceptance. Moreover, a mentor can limit the number of mentees approaching him/her.
Project Features
We included the below-mentioned features in our app for its users (seekers & experts) and for the admin:
- A Mentor can add up his qualifications & certifications in his profile and can select fields of his/her expertise
- A Mentee can set up his profile and add his interests
- Options for mentors and mentees to add location, career details, and known-languages
- Mentees can review mentors and mentors can review mentees after they have communicated with each other
- A mentor can avail himself to mentees worldwide or limited to a region by setting his preference
- Confirmation from the mentor before accepting a mentee’s request
- A mentor can set a limit for mentee request per day or for a week so that he/she is not over-burdened with questions
- Features for admin to manage users (mentors and mentees), verify mentors’ expertise and mentees’ interests, manage chat, and notifications
Business Benefits
Being a social entrepreneur, our client was able to achieve the following benefits for having launched this social network app:
First-mover Advantage– as this app was the first of its types, it attracted a large user-base which brought him recognition in the market
Igniting Societal Change– client not only achieved his personal business goals but also erupted a social change amongst the nation by motivating the experts to teach and aspirants to reach their dreams
Revenue through free ads- this unique social network app for entrepreneurial advising generated profits through its freemium model via ads.
Industry Segment
Education & Learning
Company Profile
A reputed NGO from Spain
Technology and Tools
Frontend- Java (for Android App) Swift (for iPhone App)
Backend- Java Spring Framework
Database- PostgreSQL
