Lokal App
| Original author(s) | Vipul Chaudhary |
|---|---|
| Developer(s) | Behtar Technology Pvt Ltd. |
| Initial release | June 2018 |
| Stable release | 1.0.153/ 08 June 2020
|
| Engine | |
| Operating system | |
| Size | |
| Available in | 2 languages |
| Type | |
| Licence | Freeware |
| Website | getlokalapp |
Search Lokal App on Amazon.
| Type of business | Private |
|---|---|
| Founded | June 2018 |
| Headquarters | Bangalore, India |
| Area served | India |
| CEO | Jani Pasha |
| Key people |
|
| Industry | Software |
Lokal, is an Indian hyperlocal news and content app catering to India’s non-English speakers. [1]Most of the existing internet was developed for an English-speaking audience and that limits the scope of local news and lokal is trying to solve that problem.[2][3] Started by Jani Pasha and Vipul Chaudhary in June 2018, Lokal provides district and constituency-level local news, jobs, classifieds and local information like weather, vegetable prices and contact information of doctors and police stations in Telugu and Tamil languages. [4]It also provides awareness content as videos and make shows to flag fake news. [5]
History[edit]
In the early days of a startup, the local news was sourced from stringers and distributed on a WhatsApp group.[6]What started as a WhatsApp group initially became an app that provides people in far off village and constituencies a one-stop platform to have their say, to make unknown voices heard, to get a job, to list their ads, and to find a suitable match, among other services.[7]
The hyperlocal startup works through a network of on-ground reporters, stringers, and on-ground sales teams. These reporters gather information in Telugu and Tamil about local news, job openings and classifieds.[8]
Funding and investors[edit]
Lokal has raised their first funding from venture capital firm India Quotient in 2018. [9] In 2019 Lokal raised $3 million from 3one4 Capital, Y Combinator, RB Investments and SOMA Capital.[10] The organisation used the round of funding to scale further and better the current product based on user learnings from rural India. [11]
Awards & Recognition[edit]
- In April 2020, Forbes featured Lokal founders Jani Pasha and Vipul Chaudhary in its 30 Under 30 - Asia - Media, Marketing & Advertising list of young innovators.[12]
- In November 2020, Lokal was featured in Nasscom Emerge 50 awards 2020 under Bharat category as Trusted Hyperlocal Communitites for non-english speaking users of India[13]
References[edit]
- ↑ "Why Y Combinator In 2019-2020: The Accelerator's Latest Startups Provide An Inside Look". Forbes.com. 9 September 2019. Retrieved 25 September 2019.
- ↑ "To crack India's diverse and massive local news markets, Lokal started asking users what they actually wanted". niemanlab.org. 26 June 2020. Retrieved 2 February 2020.
- ↑ "To crack India's diverse and massive local news markets, Lokal started asking users what they actually wanted". Splicemedia. 23 June 2020. Retrieved 28 Jan 2021.
- ↑ "Regional language-focused startup Lokal raises $3 million funding". ETtech.com. 4 November 2019. Retrieved 20 November 2019.
- ↑ "Local language content cos help stem fake info". economictimes.indiatimes.com. 19 March 2020. Retrieved 2 April 2020.
- ↑ "YC-backed Lokal wants to bring local news, classifieds to 900 million Indians in their regional languages". TechCrunch.com. 16 August 2019. Retrieved 25 August 2019.
- ↑ "Making it big in digital world: Bangalore's Lokal App". exchange4media.com. 5 December 2020. Retrieved 2 February 2020.
- ↑ "Lokal". Forbes.com.
- ↑ "India Quotient Invests In Vernacular Hyperlocal Video News Startup Lokal". Inc 42. 7 August 2018. Retrieved 15 August 2018.
- ↑ "Lokal, an assistance to non-English speaking users, getting vocal with 4.5 million users". Our Own Startup. 13 June 2020. Retrieved 2 February 2020.
- ↑ "Hyperlocal News Startup Lokal Bags $3 Mn Funding From 3one4 Capital, Y Combinator, Others". Inc 42. 4 November 2019. Retrieved 17 November 2019.
- ↑ "Forbes 30 Under 30 - Asia - Media, Marketing & Advertising". Forbes. 2 April 2020. Retrieved 4 July 2020.
- ↑ "Nasscom Emerge 50 awards 2020" (PDF). Nasscom. 11 November 2020. Retrieved 25 December 2020.
External links[edit]
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