Manifesto

Between work, everyday errands and thinking about the future, it’s easy to lose touch with the simple habit of seeing the people around you. We miss having somewhere to go without a special occasion, where a conversation can carry on because nobody is in a hurry to leave.

A lot of those conversations have moved online. The internet makes it easier to find people who share your interests, but it’s just as easy to spend an evening watching everyone else’s life go by.

That’s why we’re building Flaner.

We think of it as an open social club for the people around you, where you don’t need to know anyone to feel welcome. The app helps you make plans, while the part we care about happens afterwards, when people sit around a table or head out for a walk together.

You might have moved to a new city, want a break from social media or simply enjoy an evening with other people. You don’t need a better reason than that. Everyone has the same membership, with no rankings, premium tiers or ads you have to pay to remove.

Flaner works because we all help make it happen. Sometimes you join someone else’s meetup; another time you suggest your own, perhaps a beer and a conversation about a book you’re reading. Showing up matters too, because the people who come are what make each gathering its own.

Over time, we’d like Flaner to make your own area feel just as familiar as home and work. When school and work are wearing you down, or the future seems uncertain, having people around can make a difference. It won’t solve everything, but it helps to have someone to talk to, or something to do together that takes your mind elsewhere for a while.

So we use the internet to find one another close to home, then take things offline: to books and board games, badminton in the park, a bar around the corner or a film projected onto a sheet in a courtyard.

Not every evening has to lead to a friendship or a brilliant idea. Spending a few good hours together and wanting to come back is enough.