“At a big networking event, you might know the type of people you want to meet but not specifically who. You scan name tags and hope you get lucky, but it might not happen,” says David Aubespin, CEO and co-founder of Topi, an app he designed to remedy the networking problems at conferences.
One of many meetings-focused mobile apps currently on the market, Topi has two main components—one for planners and another for attendees.
A former Google engineering manager, Aubespin was frustrated by existing networking options and wanted to create a way to optimize the time spent at an event.
Named after the topi animal, a fast-moving, social antelope species, the app uses location-based geo-fencing to draw a digital perimeter around a meeting, allowing the participants inside to communicate, dicuss topics and gain access to agendas and files uploaded by event planners.
The app leverages existing social networks, including Facebook and Twitter, for easy login, and planners can utilize analysis programs to measure user engagement.
Topi is available for download in the iTunes store and Android marketplace.