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Join us as we introduce each of the teams participating in our 2024 Summer Launchpad accelerator!
Intoit is an app designed to help people who are new to the city find bars and clubs matching their preferences. We show people the live music playing, wait time, and vibe inside before committing money or time to attending so they never feel blindsided going out.
Team Members: Ansh Jhaveri (CAS ‘24) and Nick Bekos (Stern ‘24)
On a night out, friends Ansh Jhaveri and Nick Bekos faced an all too common experience for New Yorkers looking for nightlife.
“It’s one of the top five clubs in New York,” they’d be told. Persuaded by the venue’s reputation, they did the 20 minute trek to the new hot club, only to be dismayed by the hefty $20 per person cover. Still, they took a chance with the knowledge of the rave reviews, paid the fee, and went inside. The bouncer excitedly welcomed them into the club’s self-titled safe space full of fun, energy, and good music.
As they entered, they found the club completely empty.
An hour into Jhaveri and Bekos’s stay, fellow NYC club-goers still hadn’t arrived. It was another unexpected but not uncommon disappointment for a night out in the city.
The duo's disappointment sparked an idea for an app to help avert this issue. Intoit is an app matching people to their ideal night out based on the experience they want to have. Users are paired with compatible venues based music preferences, wait times, prices, distance, and other criteria to help narrow down the decision on where to have fun. Say goodbye to the risk of wasting a night out.
Below, Jhaveri and Bekos discuss Intoit, their entrepreneurship journeys, and more. (Responses have been edited for clarity.)
In your own words, how do you describe Intoit and its mission to someone new for the first time
BOTH: Perfect night out on demand.
How did you initially find NYU’s entrepreneurial community?
AJ: I was walking around and I saw a flier and sent a picture to Nick. I said “Yo, you want to do this?” And he said, “Maybe.” It was one of those panels where they talk about the Leslie eLab, scaling, and startups. We were both kind of hesitant, but we went and it was empty, so we just had basically 30 minutes and 14 pizzas with Frank [Rimalovski]. Seeing that flier started a really long, helpful journey.
What’s the biggest business challenge your startup has overcome so far?
NB: Building a product that we can scale and monetize. We landed on a problem very early on, and it took a really long time talking to people and coaches to figure out how we can solve that problem in a way that will also be a good business, which is very important. That was probably our biggest problem, which we solved.
What has been the most rewarding moment of your founder journey so far?
NB: Interacting with the guest speakers. We’ve gotten so much good advice from our mentors and the investor mentors as well. At the end of the day, we're on a totally different path than we would have been without them.
What 3 words would you use to describe your founder journey?
BOTH: Confusing, Uncertainty, Intellectually Rewarding
What’s the biggest piece of advice that you’d give to aspiring student founders?
NB: Do it. Start doing things instead of thinking about it. Start talking to people because everything comes from just talking. Half of your business will be done by the time you finish having all the conversations you should have.
What is your best college experience (either academic or social) at NYU?
AJ: Summer Launchpad. The things that I was able to do and learn here put me leagues ahead.
What would be your perfect club?
BOTH: It depends on the vibe and what you're feeling that night. If I'm looking for something more entertaining or active, then I go to DJ sets and clubs that play house music and have a nice open space with a good sound system. If I’m looking for something more intimate, I like jazz clubs.
Name someone who you think would be the perfect fit for your product in terms of personality.
BOTH: Lauryn Hill, Janelle Monáe, and Kanye West
