You "Might" want to read this. A new mobile app called "Might" will be launching soon and we talk to the founder, Anthony Barba, to learn more about this new app.
Here are a few points from the Might Manifesto to understand the concept.
- We believe the calendar is for commitments only
- We believe social media reduces real human interactions
- We believe Humans have a biological Fear of Missing out it
- We believe in one trusted space for all things you might do
- We believe Social Media is becoming spam
Q: What is your iPhone application about?
A: Might is an iPhone application where people can discover and save all the things that they might want to do. And it knows what you might want to do because it knows who your friends are. Might also connects to all your social networks and learns more about your interests. You keep on using your social networks and Might keeps on learning more about the things you might want to do in real life. Might is your personal almanac. One place for all the things you might want to do.
Q: Why did you start this project?
A: 10 years ago I started working on a project that sent personalized events to your cell phone as an SMS. That ultimately became an SMS Snow and Surf Alerts system used by Time Warner. Now after selling one tech company and crashing another, I thought I was ready to finish what I started in 2002. Might is what I imagined before Facebook, Twitter and Gmail existed. What I want is one place to magically discover and simply track interesting things happening in the real world.
Q: How much time do you devote to its growth?
A: Whenever I’m not in the same room with my wife or dogging Berlin traffic on my scooter, I’m working on Might.
Q: What is your design/service philosophy?
A: We believe that online social media is reducing real human interactions, humans have a biological fear of missing out it and the calendar is for commitments only. We want to be that trusted place for our users can connect with real world interests intelligently and personally.
Q: What technologies are you currently using?
A: Our iPhone app is built on iOS and our backend is built using a new cutting edge technology called Node.js.
Q: What are the most requested features from your users/community?
A: Speed and Intelligence. People want everything faster, especially on mobile. That is why we chose such a cutting edge backend technology called Node.js. It is super-fast. I agree with the advice Amazon’s Jeff Bezos gives start-ups, focus on issues that customers will always want; faster apps, better search, great customer service.
Q: Where do you see the project heading in the next 6 months? The next 2 years?
A: For me, it’s always about building a great product for devoted users. That’s it! Everything else falls into place. So in the next 6 months we want to learn from users’ behavior and build what they need. In the next 2 years, our goal is to make Might as intelligent as our users when it comes to choosing interesting things to do, only faster and simple. We will be connected to all major social networks, be it work (LinkedIn), personal (Facebook) and public (Twitter) and a lot of activity places.
Q: What is the greatest challenge to your success?
A: My greatest challenge is balancing my life between work and everything else. It’s romantic as an entrepreneur to say “Whenever I’m not in the same room with my wife I’m working”(which is actually true), but if I don’t keep it in check could it would lead to failure.
Q: What is the one thing you need to get to the next phase of the project?
A: People. We need access to the right people who believe in our vision and willing to add their expertise in shaping Might. This is not only technology, its investors, advisors, promoters, other companies and rappers like Chamillionaire.
Q: Do you have a business model? If so, what is it?
A: We do, but a business model will mean absolutely nothing if we can’t build a product that people want to tell friends about. If we can do that our business model will evolve with it. Whoever wins the intent market will win big.
Q: Are there any aspects of this project that has made you proud?
A: Our team. I am most proud of assembling a devoted team of Americans, Indians, Germans and teenagers all in a small office in Berlin working on the same problem. Everyone plays their position to win. I have a feeling that no matter what people want Might to be, this team can build it.
Q: What is your WOW factor?
A: From approximately 16 million events globally we deliver to our users only those events that match their interests and friends; all in less than 30 seconds. We’ve come a long way since calling the community calendar.
Q: How would you describe the shift that’s occurring with the web right now to future generations?
A: There was a time before communication was digital. When we didn’t have access to everything. Today we have the access to everything at any time. This is changing human behavior and expectation. We are not going to see the real effects on this shift until 2090.
Q: What sites do you visit every day other than your own?
A: For work productivity, I use Podio, Contactually and Trello. For social networks I’m active on Twitter, Facebook and EyeEm. For my news junkie fix I’m on Reddit, MSNBC and the Drudge Report. I seem to be on the desktop web for work and iPhone app for personal use.
Q: Any other comments?
A: More Americans are moving to Berlin each month. Email me if anyone wants a tour and the inside scoop from a New Yorker building a tech start-up in Berlin.
Is this an app that you Might download? Share your thoughts in the comments below.
