Jagat, a social network designed to encourage real-life connections and activities with friends rather than mindless phone scrolling, has surpassed 10 million global users. Launched in March, this location-based social network, available on iOS and Android, acts as a social map for friends and nearby activities. Jagat’s interactive map interface allows real-time tracking of friends, discovering new people, and exploring activities nearby. Similar to the now-shut Zenly, Jagat is the brainchild of Barry Beagen and Loy Xing Zhe, based in Singapore and Indonesia.
Inspired by a shared vision of challenging big tech and creating a Southeast Asian platform, Beagen and Zhe sought to move away from passive social apps. The duo envisioned a space where users could virtually interact through avatars, emphasizing spontaneous real-life connections for activities like hikes, concerts, or basketball games. The primary interface, the social map, displays friends’ locations, records visited places, and facilitates communication through messages, stickers, or updates.
Jagat is developing features to compete with Facebook Groups, enabling users to organize local events and connect with like-minded individuals. Additionally, they plan to introduce a feature for exploring global communities. Beagen emphasizes the return to genuine social connections, focusing on social networking rather than media consumption. Around 85% of Jagat users are Gen Z, and the app has gained popularity globally, particularly in Japan, Taiwan, Vietnam, Spain, France, and Singapore.
While Jagat closed a Series A funding round in October with Southeast Asian investors, the exact funding amount remains undisclosed. Beagen envisions Jagat as the default app for the next generation, emphasizing the importance of fulfilling the promise of social apps to facilitate genuine connections and real-life interactions. The startup continues to build new features and expand its community, aiming to power a new generation of creators and businesses worldwide.
