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Exclusive: Lokal launches Dostt, Eaze and Gyan TV; plans 40 more apps

Hyperlocal social media platform Lokal has introduced a new app called Dostt, which offers 1-to-1 voice and video calling while maintaining user anonymity.

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Harsh Upadhyay
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Lokal

Hyperlocal social media platform Lokal has introduced a new app called Dostt, which offers 1-to-1 voice and video calling while maintaining user anonymity. This is one of the several dozen apps which the firm is set to launch over the next year, as per the company’s co-founder Jani Pasha.

The Dostt app is designed as a secure and private platform featuring verified profiles and a diverse community. It aims to provide a safe space for conversations on topics such as relationships, love, career, and more.

It caters to native language speaking users between the ages of 18 and 45.

“We are rapidly expanding our app portfolio across multiple categories and are now preparing to launch 40 new apps in categories like astrology, emotional wellness, matrimony, and legal services in 2024,” said Pasha.

Besides Dosst, Lokal has recently launched Eaze, an app focused on emotional wellness, and Gyan TV, a skill-based learning app similar to Seekho, offering courses on stock trading, photography, and more.

Backed by investors including Tencent, 3one4 Capital, Y Combinator, RB Investments, and India Quotient, Lokal delivers location-based news to vernacular audiences. The platform allows users to download videos, set WhatsApp statuses, access employment exam preparation updates, and stay informed about real estate and commodity prices.

Lokal will now compete with ShareChat’s newly launched app, Vibely, which offers similar features, along with Alyke, FRND and Clarity. WaterBridge and Kalaari Capital-backed EloElo has also emerged as promising player in this space.

For companies like ShareChat and Lokal, these standalone apps present new revenue opportunities, especially as their core social media advertising businesses face challenges. 

The move seems more a case of keeping up with competition than a planned one, perhaps keeping in mind the low investments it demanded. 

Founded by Jani Pasha and Vipul Chaudhary in 2018, Lokal has raised around $30 million to date and counts InShorts’ Public app and Dailyhunt’s PublicVibe among its direct competitors. For the fiscal year ending March 2024, Lokal reported a slight increase in its operating revenue to Rs 18.58 crore while reducing its losses by 36%.

While it will be interesting to see how the Dostt app contributes to the company’s financial performance, we wouldn’t be counting on it to make a big impact considering how competitive and difficult to monetise the market remains.

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