Rajan Chandi, Loquila, Pune based Hyper Local Network

Loquila lets you connect with people and places around you! In a conversation with YourStory.in Rajan, founder and CEO, Loquila tells us how it is different from the other networks. Edited Excerpts:

Rajan, What is Loquila?

Loquila is a hyper local network that lets people connect with people and places around them! People can follow places, see what's happening around them and make new friends. Users can post local news on the places for other users to receive stories in real time.

Where are you based? What is the size of your team? Are you looking at hiring?

We're based out of Pune and we're a team of 3. We are always open to bringing talented people on board.

So, how exactly does Loquila work?

Anyone can register or login to Loquila.com with their existing Facebook account. Once they're logged in - they can add places and follow places that matter to them. They can also share great places with friends to build a local community.

Interesting. What is the story behind Loquila?

I personally felt the need of a tool that helps me discover people and places around me. Loquila will solve that problem of connecting with neighbors.

How is Loquila different from other social networks?

We're not a social network. We're a Hyper Local Network. Social networks have their base as friends - We're connecting people by their locations! Social network is a way to stay in touch with your friends. Hyper local network also lets you interact with everyone around you - whether they're your friends or not! It is just like a tiny replica of real world where there are people, places and conversations!

What were the biggest challenges you faced while starting up?

We are running another product start-up which serves 54 GB of data to users. It was more of a moral challenge to start something that is completely new and without any funds.

How much capital was required to startup Loquila?

We spent around 3 months of time on Loquila.

How many users have already signed up? What is the market size you are trying to capture?

We have over 150 users with in a week's time from the launch. We've not invested in the marketing yet. Hyper local can be $1 Trillion market globally.

What are the challenges pertaining to Location Based services?

Location based services needs to have local context. It needs to be marketed property to receive the sustainable critical mass in every possible area.

Are you looking at launching mobile apps as well?

Yes. Mobile apps are part of our plan but we've not yet started working on that. Our first app will be an Android app.

Anything else that you want to share with us?

We look forward to blur the boundaries between online and offline worlds!

Do check out http://www.loquila.com/ for more details! Let us know your thoughts by writing to [email protected]