Togethera Delivers Simple, Private Sharing for Families and BFFs
Closed social network completes $800,000 seed round by international group of entrepreneurs and investors.
January 21, 2015
As the world is becoming more open and connected through social networks, one service is letting people cherish their most intimate relationships through simple, private sharing.
Togethera is a truly private “un-social” network, accessible on the web and through apps for iPhone, iPad and Android. Designed to be super-simple to use for people of all ages and abilities, Togethera offers an easy way for families and close friends to stay connected and share content without the noise and exposure created by social media sites and applications. Unlike other open social networks, there are no publicly discoverable profiles on Togethera: only people who know each other can connect and see each other’s content.
A major way Togethera has achieved simplicity is by eliminating any advertising. The service collects only basic, essential information for account setup and never sells data to other companies. In this way, Togethera is a truly private service.
“Our mission is to help you connect with the people who matter most in your life,” says CEO and co-founder Sokratis Papafloratos. “When I’m on Facebook or Twitter, I go there for funny things that kill time, or for news, or to connect with other people in my industry. But I use Togethera to see pictures of my friends’ new baby, or photos from my parents or my girlfriend. It’s where I can stay in touch with people I’m closest to.”
Papafloratos and his co-founder, Matt Dempsey, found they had something in common that led them to launch Togethera: widely distributed family members. London-based Papafloratos was having difficulty connecting with his family back in Greece, while Dempsey’s family are spread across the UK with several non-technically savvy members. In Togethera, the co-founders discovered a way to keep family members across generations and geographies in regular touch, easily.
Registered users of Togethera can set up multiple groups for different branches of their families and groups of friends. Togethera’s simple, elegant interface lets members post updates and upload photos and videos, using large input fields and buttons, clear instructions and clutter-free backgrounds.
“We designed it to be easy for grandparents to use, even those who aren’t technically savvy,” Papafloratos says. “We have users who are 90 years old who write to us and tell us how much they love the simple, beautiful layout. They appreciate the ability to scroll or swipe up and down to browse content.”
The company has recently closed a $800,000 seed round from an international group of investors that includes Andy McLoughlin (founder Huddle), Kirill Makharinsky (founder Quid, Ostrovok), Tom Allason (founder Shutl) and a number of other UK and US-based tech entrepreneurs and investors. To generate revenue, Togethera will be launching a premium account version on a monthly subscription plan.
Togethera has been featured by Apple in the iTunes App Store in 118 countries. The service’s tremendous growth and popularity, Papafloratos points out, is reflective of the times.
“In the U.K., one of the most popular New Year’s resolutions this year was to use social networking sites less,” he says. “But at the same time, we’re all trying to get closer with our families and develop deeper relationships with our closest friends. Togethera is designed first with you in mind — it fits into your life as a tool to make your most important relationships even stronger.”
ABOUT TOGETHERA
Togethera is a London-based service that enables simple, truly private social sharing on the web and through user-friendly iOS and Android apps. Launched in 2014, the company lets families and close friends share updates, photos and videos which each other in a beautifully simple, truly private setting. Togethera offers a free, basic account and a paid premium account. www.togethera.com
