Locals.org, London’s rapidly expanding “real-life” social networking platform for entrepreneurs, has successfully launched in the UAE after securing $11 million USD in seed funding. With over 200,000 entrepreneurs already on board, the app offers an innovative approach to connecting ambitious individuals in real life based on their shared interests. Users can network, discuss business, play sports, socialize, and meet like-minded people. By facilitating online connections that lead to real-life meetups, Locals.org allows users to both host and participate in various activities and events. The platform has already witnessed over 25,000 events and 400,000 connections between users.
The platform gained significant attention with the Locals.org Dubai Padel Tournament, hosted by Dubai-based entrepreneur and former Miss World Australia Jessica Kahawaty. The event attracted over 50 entrepreneurs and garnered immense popularity, with a video snippet going viral on Instagram, amassing a staggering 170 million views. It has become one of the most-watched sports videos to date.
Notably, prominent figures such as Sam Altman (founder of Open AI), Nik Storonsky (founder of Revolut), Jeremy Jauncey (founder of Beautiful Destinations and creator of MyDubai), Michael Acton Smith (founder of Calm), Camilla Al Fayed (founder of Farmacy), Pavel Durov (founder of Telegram), Natalia Vodianova (supermodel and co-founder of Locals.org), Herman Narula (founder of Improbable), and Matthew Freud (founder of Freud Communications) have utilized Locals.org to host meetups and events over the past two months.
The platform’s swift rise has earned it the distinction of being featured as Apple’s “App of the Day” in the UAE, highlighting its growing user base both locally and globally. Locals.org was conceived by serial entrepreneurs and founders Eugene Nevgen, Natalia Vodianova, Sergey Gonchar, and Timon Afinsky, with the vision of creating the largest online “real-life” social networking community for entrepreneurs in the Middle East. Their aim is to help local entrepreneurs connect with their counterparts worldwide.
Apart from facilitating personal interests and hobbies, Locals.org, which was initially launched in London in 2021, fosters a thriving entrepreneurial community. It provides a platform for business leaders and aspiring entrepreneurs to network, meet, and grow their businesses, regardless of whether they have an idea, are just starting out, or seek advice on scaling and expansion.
Venture capital investors such as Goodwater Capital, TheSoul Publishing, and Michael Antonov (co-founder of Oculus) back the app. The expansion into Dubai is part of a broader strategy to establish a unique online and offline networking community across the wider Middle East region.
Commenting on the launch in Dubai, Eugene Nevgen, Co-Founder and CEO of Locals.org, expressed his excitement, stating, “We are thrilled to be launching and scaling in the UAE. The country has always been a hub for entrepreneurs, with over 94 percent of businesses in Dubai classified as small and medium-sized enterprises. We want to bring our unique social networking vision to the market so that entrepreneurs and world-changers can connect with like-minded people, whether for networking or simply based on the social activities they enjoy. With more than 170 million views, our Padel event video was a roaring success and demonstrated the immense appetite in the region for a distinctive approach to social networking in real life. Through activities and events, we aim to create a powerful and secure community that fosters meaningful connections and acts as a catalyst for entrepreneurial growth in the UAE.”
The founders of Locals.org have ambitious plans to develop the platform further, positioning it as the leading app for “real-life” social networking in the region. Natalia Vodianova, co-founder of Locals.org, highlighted the Middle East’s vibrant entrepreneurial scene and expressed the platform’s goal of not only connecting individuals with fellow entrepreneurs and businesses but also providing opportunities for people to discover communities and events that facilitate real-life connections. Vodianova hopes that by offering a meaningful online and offline experience, Locals.org can build a strong community while helping individuals grow their businesses, aligning with the leadership’s economic goals of doubling the size of the UAE economy by 2033. She concluded, “It’s an exciting time to be an entrepreneur. The ways of doing business are changing, and we’re happy to have created an ecosystem that supports this growth both online and offline.”
