Craig Somerville is a filmmaker and media director based in Stirlingshire, his business Castabroad Collective focuses on content and marketing for outdoors companies.
Craig joined Techscaler at the start of 2024 to take part in Startup First Steps with the idea of launching Guided App, an app that enables outdoor guides to streamline their booking and customer support administration, and eventually build a marketplace of professionally guided outdoor experiences for adventure seekers. And while 2024 has led to the successful launch of Guided App, Craig’s journey through Startup First Steps has unexpectedly also led to him launching a new app today, WITR (Who’s In the Room, pronounced witter), and here Craig tells us the story of how this came to be.
Tell us about where the idea for WITR came from?
I was a participant of Startup First Steps at the start of 2024, which culminated in a showcase at the end of March, which also served as an event for the launch of the Techscaler Annual Report. There were about 150 people in the room so it was a busy event. I’m secretly a bit of an introvert so I struggle with these sorts of events, I particularly don’t really like the small talk. I sat down and got chatting to the guy next to me, Dale Hornidge, and it turned out we had a lot in common. He was starting up his own no-code agency Build With Zero. I also ended up sat next to Mike Scott who’s been building Tap-That.io, a tappable QR code interface. As I was leaving the event, I wondered how many people I’d actually missed talking to who would have been interesting and where the connections may have also helped me to develop. So combining the idea of QR codes with a networking app that helps you find the right people in the room came about. I approached Dale later and asked him to build the app, and now we’re launching!
I’m excited to have now teamed up (again) with long term business partner across other ventures Geoff Todd of Farsight Digital Solutions. He lives in this world of events, and networking is key to his many successes too.
Serendipity some might say! So, how exactly does WITR work and what does it do?
From the event manager's end, the aim is to have as little admin as possible:
- You create an account
- Then set up an event page in a matter of seconds.
- This creates a unique QR code and a link for your event, present it, and your attendees can start using it!
From the event attendee's end:
- Scan the QR code
- Sync with Linkedin
- Add a tagline ie/what is your ask/offer for the event, what is your background, expertise
- You'll then see a list of everyone at the event, with the idea that you can see names and faces next to what their ask/offer is, and then look out for them or seek them out.
The attendee list is live for a limited time, and deleted 48 hours after your event so making sure attendee information is protected. I for one love the idea of not being tracked, re-targeted or advertised to, so once the event is over you have enough time to reach out to the genuine connections made, and like Snapchat the list and all the data disappears - “That’s so refreshing” is what I was told this morning from an attendee at our trial launch.
And now you’ve launched, what’s the plan for what’s next? And what’s the ambition?
Yes, we launched the first in person use of WITR today at CodeBase’s Unfiltered networking events at Stirling, Edinburgh and Inverness as a trial and to get feedback. We’re then going to be using it for the Startup Next Steps Autumn ‘25 showcase at the end of the month which will serve as our official launch, so it will have come full cycle in 8 months. I have some interesting conversations in progress with the Forth Valley Chamber of Commerce at the moment too, and then I’d love to get connected to anyone who runs networking events who’d like to try it out. We’re toying with the idea of affiliate programs too, so get in touch if you think this is for you. The aim being that the attendees at all of the events then enjoy the app experience and recommend it to other event organisers.
We’ve heard just today of two other uses, one being university lectures where the lecturer can navigate the students in the room with what they’d like to achieve/their strengths; and two the NHS - but I’ve yet to hear what the thought process was here.
How can people find out more, or even get WITR for their next networking event or conference?
Head to the website and register for an account, I’ve designed it to be as quick and easy as possible! Our launch price means you can try it out for just £10 per event. And then send me feedback so we can make it better and make it work for you info@witr.info
Seeing as WITR is designed to help with networking, what’s your one networking tip?
Just turn up! Seriously, even if you think it’s going to be a waste of time, you don’t want to mix with other people, or you’re like me and your inner introvert takes over, trust me, something will come of it - especially now that we all have WITR.
BIG thanks to the Techscaler team and regional CodeBASE teams for the support in both WITR and Guided.
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