Forget My Space. Get real. Meetup.
Meetup.com has been around for a couple years, but the trend is starting to take off. Initially, it seemed that the service was being used to help various interest groups 'meet-up' for coffee, etc.
Now, not only does the service help people find others who share their interest or cause, but it is helping them form lasting, influential, local community groups that regularly meet face-to-face.
The group shown in the picture is the NYC Kayak Club.
Meetup Groups help people:
- Rise up, stand up, unite, and make a
difference
- Find others who share their interests
- Get involved locally
- Learn, teach, and share things
- Make friends and have fun
- Be a part of something bigger locally and globally
Key Themes Behind This Trend
- Offline Community Building
- Disruptive innovation opportunity: Develop a platform that facilitates offline community building, enabling people to connect and form lasting local groups.
- Interest-based Networking
- Disruptive innovation opportunity: Create a social networking platform that focuses on connecting people based on their shared interests, fostering meaningful connections.
- Localized Social Impact
- Disruptive innovation opportunity: Build a platform that empowers individuals to take local action and make a difference in their communities, fostering a sense of social impact.
Where This Applies
- Social Networking
- Disruptive innovation opportunity: Revolutionize the social networking industry by developing a platform that goes beyond online interactions and emphasizes offline community engagement.
- Community Development
- Disruptive innovation opportunity: Redefine community development approaches by leveraging technology to facilitate the establishment and growth of local, impactful groups.
- Event Management
- Disruptive innovation opportunity: Transform the event management industry by creating a platform that not only facilitates event organization but also fosters long-term community building and impact.
