Danielle Egan and Athena Leong are masters of creativity and enjoyment. Together, they have orchestrated a citywide scavenger hunt in San Francisco and turned a playful stunt into a pop-up restaurant in New York City for a single night. They’ve even initiated a unique social group called the “sit club,” where participants simply gather to relax in their chairs. Their latest venture, a startup named Outernet, aims to inspire others to infuse more joy into their daily lives.
The name of their app reflects the idea of utilizing the internet as a tool to motivate people to venture outdoors—hence the term “outernet.” This app serves as a platform to save various experiences, such as local events, restaurants, and points of interest, transforming them into a manageable list of activities to explore.
Outernet encourages users to go beyond merely liking social media posts about places they want to visit. Instead, they can share those posts directly into the app, which will efficiently catalog the activities or locations they wish to check out. (You can find invite codes for trying the app at the end of this article).
What sets Outernet apart from other platforms like Albo, Tabi, or Plotline is its founding duo, both of whom have invested significant time into promoting offline fun and enjoyment. They now intend to channel that same vitality into their app.
Egan, who previously worked in product operations at LinkedIn, shares, “I’m deeply committed to encouraging people to venture outside and engage in activities. My passion lies in capturing attention in surprising ways and delivering enjoyable experiences.” She describes the app as a “motivation engine for IRL,” aiming to eliminate the barriers between wanting to go out and actually doing it.
Outernet aligns with a common consumer habit—while browsing TikTok and Instagram, users often encounter inspiring posts that they save for later. However, these ideas can quickly fade as they continue scrolling. Outernet addresses this gap by keeping all saved activities and destinations in one central location.
To save a post within the app, users can select the share option from platforms like TikTok or Instagram and then choose Outernet from the sharing options. Additionally, they have the option to paste links directly or upload a photo of an event or activity flyer.
Outernet utilizes AI to extract essential details such as date, time, and location, organizing saved events into a chronological feed. Activities without specific dates are sorted into other tabs for easy navigation. Users can also sync these events with their calendars or view them on Outernet’s built-in map.
Moreover, the app sends timely reminders and nudges, encouraging users to pursue their saved activities.
As users explore the world around them, they can “stamp” the locations they’ve visited, creating a personalized passport of activities.
Egan shares their vision for the future, mentioning a potential “passport book” feature that would allow users to revisit and share their experiences, fostering a sense of pride in their adventures. They are also considering incorporating gamification elements, such as rewards for reaching various milestones.
The concept of Outernet stemmed from the co-founders’ involvement in designing a city-wide scavenger hunt in San Francisco named “Pursuit,” which has been running for three years and attracts around 1.5% of the city’s population annually.
Through discussions with participants, they discovered that people’s desire to take part wasn’t solely driven by a love of scavenger hunts but rather by the craving for outdoor experiences. This led to the development of Outernet.
Leong, who has a background in computer science and child development, emphasizes that there is a strong demand for engaging activities. “This is a new trend,” she asserts.
Egan adds that as community organizers, they are very connected to the local events scene. Many organizers create fantastic events but struggle with marketing; this is where their expertise comes in as they aim to bridge that gap.
Having launched about two months ago, Outernet is already profitable with a premium subscription priced at $6.99 per month or $39.99 annually. The app currently boasts around 18,000 users, and the team is actively experimenting with new features.
The founders are in preliminary discussions with potential investors, carefully considering who would align with their whimsical approach.
Outernet operates on an invite-only basis on iOS, with plans for an Android release in the pipeline. Users can utilize the invite code “coffeewalk” to gain immediate access to the app.
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