This article provides an in-depth review of Bigfoot, a startup that aims to help people discover new and unique experiences for their weekends. Here are some key takeaways:
Key Features:
- Bigfoot has amassed a supply of 30 million events and activities, sourced from various places online, including websites, social media, and local guides.
- The platform uses AI to suggest relevant and curated recommendations based on users’ interests and preferences.
- Users can chat with the AI assistant to explore options, ask questions, and get personalized suggestions.
- The platform also allows users to share their plans and collections with friends via a copyable link.
Challenges:
- Bigfoot faces stiff competition in the hyper-competitive space of local discovery and experience-based services.
- Scaling a consumer startup can be challenging, especially when competing with established players like Google and Facebook.
- The team recognizes that users want perfect, amazing, unique, curated things to do, which requires significant work to maintain high-quality supply.
Future Plans:
- Bigfoot plans to improve personalization by allowing users to upload their notes and map pins to create visual plans or collections.
- The startup is exploring the idea of offering a version of Littlefoot that can be used within WhatsApp to reach group chats between weekend-planning friends.
- The team needs more funding to continue building out the platform, and they are currently in active conversations around their seed fund.
Interface:
- The interface feels rough around the edges, with some signposting and finessing work needed to smooth out transitions between visual elements.
- The text-chat with the AI is the most commodified aspect of the platform but also has potential for improvement.
Overall, Bigfoot’s mission is to provide a platform that helps people discover new and unique experiences for their weekends. While there are challenges ahead, the startup’s dedication to improving personalization and its willingness to iterate on the interface suggest that it may be onto something.