IgNight makes sure you have the right plans for you tonight

by Kate Rosow Chrisman
November 18, 2014

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IgNight's co-founder Ar-iaya Haile and Android developer Raimone Brown conducting due diligence on their new app

Finding the best party to go to in Chicago just got a whole lot easier, especially for those not in the know, thanks to IgNight.  

Hit and Miss

When co-founder Ar-iaya Haile moved to Chicago, he stumbled upon a great nightlife scene he liked: the music was hip-hop and the party-goers were a young, urban professional crowd.  When he went back the following week, hip-hop had transformed to Lebanese music and it took Haile five months to find his kind of parties.

The team at IgNight thinks that’s a problem. Music and party promoters hold the key to good events, but finding them (and getting on their sometimes annoying email blasts) can be work, especially for out-of-town visitors. The internet wasn’t much help either; while Yelp provides reviews and Google gives basic information, neither is geared toward helping people find what they want to do tonight. “Nightlife information is really bad… There’s not a lot of transparency [online]. We want to completely change that,” said Haile.

Moving Beyond Static

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The team developed an app that allows users to find out what’s happening now, or later this weekend, around town and see what others with similar tastes are interested in. The app released last week. 

Information on the app is tailored for its users, so a fan of salsa dancing isn’t getting recommendations for nightclubs blaring pop music. Users can vote events up or down, letting “the crowd” dictate what is looking good for any particular night. 

“We are a little more in the recommendation space than social networking,” said Baile. Users see what others with the same interest are thinking, instead of just what their friends like. This helps people connect — after all, going out is often just as much about who you don’t know then who you do. 

A big part of their value play is in the dynamic nature of the information. Data on a club’s location and phone number are unlikely to change, but who is playing, what their drink specials are and what the crowd looks like on any given night can vary widely. Baile says the team is scrapping basic data, but the real gold lies in what the crowds are thinking any given night about a club. 

User Feedback, in a Bar

Since the app launched last week, Haile’s been busy working the nightlife scene. It’s the perfect place to have potential users test out the app and give him feedback. 

An important lesson learned already: the concept isn’t as intuitive as the team thought. Like most other tech products, people need to learn how to use it. Haile said they plan to beef up their instructional guide. His quick reaction is likely a reflection of the time he spent as a consultant. He values due diligence and getting things right, or fixing them quickly, above all else. 

Beyond Chicago

IgNight is looking for a critical mass of users in Chicago. Over the next 6-12 months, they hope to hit 20,000 – 30,000 users. While they may be eyeing towns outside of Chicago, they are focused on getting it right here first.

The team is five members strong, with two focused on the business side and the others more technical. Haile says it took eight months of recruiting to find the right people, but he considers everyone on the team as a co-founder at this point. IgNight is waiting until they have more traction to look for outside funding. Once they get a deal signed, they’ll start looking for additional outside talent.

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