An interview with Dan Ware, founder of beFriend

by Startacus Admin
Startacus member Dan Ware reckons he is onto a winner with his new “Meet People...Make Friends” app beFriend . It’s a friend discovery app one might say. We touched base with Dan to find out more about the concept, the problem, and his plans for the future, asking a few friendly questions along the way...
So this is a new way of connecting with people - is the idea that you can make new friends that share specific interests or hobbies that maybe your usual circle of friend might not be into?
Yes, that is one element to beFriend. I’ve found that, as I get older, the opportunity to meet new people on a social level decreases. You find yourself hanging out with the same people socially, with the odd new person joining that social circle every now and again. So when you fancy trying out something new, although you may have a large pool of people, with work and family commitments being what they are, your friends may not have time or ability to try new things out. That’s where beFriend comes in. The app connects you with like-minded people that want to try the same things as you. It’s a really interesting step forward for the digital/offline social interaction movement, which has proved so successful for online dating.
The other interesting position of beFriend is for people that move to a new town or city, or are on a work placement for a period of time. So say you have been relocated from Manchester to Bournemouth for work, chances are you will only know people from your workplace. Building meaningful social interactions with work colleagues takes time. So beFriend gives the person the opportunity to set up a game of golf or a game of tennis or even just someone to go for a drink with. beFriend is online dating, but activity and friend specific. A surprisingly niche concept.
How else does this app differ from other friend sharing apps?
The focus of beFriend is activity first, person second. It’s all about finding someone to do an activity with. So it moves the getting to know the person in detail, offline. You’re not finding someone to date, you’re looking for an activity partner. So why not find someone that wants to do that activity, do the whole pre-amble to make sure you are like-minded, but actually get to know that person while doing the activity. This makes beFriend very unique in comparison to other friend sharing apps that focus too much on the building of the friendship online.
Where did the idea initially come from?
I was over in Dubai on holiday. Although I travel to Dubai on a semi-regular basis, it is a very transient city. So all of the people I had met were either at work or had moved on. I really wanted a game of tennis, but I had no one to play with. So I thought how could I solve that issue for myself in future and beFriend was born. I didn’t get my game of tennis, but I got the idea for a cool app. Swings and roundabouts.
Are you worried others might copy this idea?
I’m a great believer that imitation is the highest form of flattery. I’m also a great believer that the cream always rises to the top. You look at Facebook, Amazon, Google and Ebay. Market leaders because they have the best product and the best brand. That is what we are trying to create with beFriend.
How do you see beFriend developing in the next 6 months to a year?
Its difficult to say. I believe strongly in the core idea of beFriend as a social interaction tool. But it will be interesting to see how our early adopters and brand advocates help us move the product forward. We’ve already made at least 20 changes to the app based on user feedback, with another 15 to come in the next iteration.
Focus on the user and all else will follow. Product development 101.
If you like what you see here on Startacus, why not become a member of our growing community? It's free! And you'll get all this - exclusive access to our Business Toolkit, discounts and offers galore for your business via our member only business deals, the chance to network and connect with loads of fellow self-starters, and maybe even become our celebrated 'Self-Starter of the Week' and tell the world your startup tale! Join right here for free...
Subscribe to our newsletter
If you would like to receive our startup themed newsletter, full of the latest startup opportunities, events, news, stories, tips and advice, then sign up here.
Tech Nation calls for tangible support to secure capital, talent, growth and exits needed to accelerate the growth of UK tech in decade ahead.

Glasgow-based This is Milk seeks investment for Neve Learning, its cloud-based Ed-Tech platform that has inclusivity and accessibility at its core.

With the UK facing a clear digital skills gap, Amy Caton, Digital Talent and Impact Senior Manager at BT Group shares some insights on what businesses should do to close that divide.

The lowdown on Berlin-based Beazy and its innovative solution that helps teams to plan, produce and deliver creative content and helps businesses to connect with talented content creators.

The lowdown on Fluffy, the app offering dog training, 24/7 vet messaging and insurance to give pet owners peace of mind and support them with their pet care responsibilities.

Huckletree's new Web3 HQ aims to put London’s West End at the forefront of Britain’s tech superpower ambitions.

Leading sports marketing platform, OpenSponsorship announces move into music sector, the first new vertical industry for the trans-Atlantic martech business.

Kingussie High School scoops first place for Junior and Senior categories at this year’s Growing Future Assets Competition.

The lowdown on Manchester-based Arctic Shores and its innovative recruitment solution to help candidate potential count as much as skills and experience.

With the demand for tattoo removal now greater than ever, specialist NAAMA Studios makes a bid for a further £11m in funding.
Published on: 5th May 2014
If you would like to enable commenting via your Startacus account, please enable Disqus functionality in your Account Settings.







- Tech Nation report reveals UK Tech could quadruple in value by 2032 with right conditions 23rd Mar 2023 Tech Nation calls for tangible support to secure capital, talent, growth and exits needed to accelerate the growth of UK tech in decade ahead.
- Neurodiverse learning and training platform Neve shares major six-figure investment opportunity 22nd Mar 2023 Glasgow-based This is Milk seeks investment for Neve Learning, its cloud-based Ed-Tech platform that has inclusivity and accessibility at its core.
- Huckletree opens new London hub for tech companies pioneering Web3 solutions 16th Mar 2023 Huckletree's new Web3 HQ aims to put London’s West End at the forefront of Britain’s tech superpower ambitions.
- OpenSponsorship making its move into the music sector 16th Mar 2023 Leading sports marketing platform, OpenSponsorship announces move into music sector, the first new vertical industry for the trans-Atlantic martech business.