Ever notice how we seem to stumble into the people that often spark the biggest changes in our lives – the ones who give us our professional breaks, become our partners or closest allies? What if there were an easy way to make those meetings happen more frequently and less by accident? The CanWeNetwork app looks to convert fortuitous connections into a commonplace occurrence.
CanWeNetwork is a mobile application that helps people connect for both professional networking and business opportunities. Combining geo-spatial technology with a decision science engine (basically, a high-powered recommendation engine. Read a more in-depth explanation here), the app identifies individuals nearby you’d have a strong likelihood of wanting to associate with. And helps arrange a meeting.
Your dream co-founder might be in the lounge waiting for the same flight as you. The programmer you desperately need might be walking the dog in the neighborhood, in-between jobs, stressing out. What a shame if the lives of people so near, with so much to offer one another, never intersect. CanWeNetwork looks to ensure that they have the opportunity to meet.
The LinkedIn Matchmaker
Recommendations are made according to proximity as well as a number of professional factors – skills, education, work experience, and personal descriptions. In other words, CanWeNetwork uses LinkedIn data to pair individuals that might care to discuss serious business or simply enjoy a great conversation with a colleague.
A percentage match score tries to further increase the odds of making valuable connections. You might be intrigued enough to say hello to anyone who has a 10% overlap of interests or skills, or maybe you’d prefer to gamble only on people with a 90% chance of becoming a worthwhile acquaintance. The score lets you decide if you want to take the time and effort to follow through on a recommendation.
CanWeNetwork’s James Sinclair stresses the company’s great effort to encourage only the most meaningful introductions. The application aims to alert individuals strictly when their is an immediate and very promising possibility to forge a strong connection. Listen to Sinclair say more on these matters in the video below.
The Next Step In Networking
In addition to the percentage match scoring, CanWeNetwork displays where people are on a map to make it easier for them to find one another. Users can share profile information, send messages and invitations. They’re also welcome to list future events, when it might be possible to meet again if present circumstances aren’t ideal.
CanWeNetwork comes from CanWe Studios, a technology platform company specializing in SaaS mobile applications, based in Austin, Texas. Currently, the app is available in the App Store (iOS) or Google Play (Android). Look for Windows and Blackberry versions in the near future. For more details, find CanWeNetwork on Facebook or Twitter.
Photo Credits
Courtesy of startup founder | CanWeNetwork
