{"id":45667,"date":"2023-10-20T15:45:27","date_gmt":"2023-10-20T15:45:27","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/startupsmart.test\/2023\/10\/20\/from-a-brisbane-share-house-to-the-world-after-two-years-of-working-in-secrecy-aussie-startup-set-to-launch-globally-startupsmart\/"},"modified":"2023-10-20T15:45:27","modified_gmt":"2023-10-20T15:45:27","slug":"from-a-brisbane-share-house-to-the-world-after-two-years-of-working-in-secrecy-aussie-startup-set-to-launch-globally-startupsmart","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.startupsmart.com.au\/uncategorized\/from-a-brisbane-share-house-to-the-world-after-two-years-of-working-in-secrecy-aussie-startup-set-to-launch-globally-startupsmart\/","title":{"rendered":"From a Brisbane share house to the world: After two years of working in secrecy, Aussie startup set to launch globally – StartupSmart"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"Amity<\/div>\n

A Brisbane startup that has been building the next social network in secret in a share house is set to reveal its creation to the world.<\/p>\n

The Amity app wants its users to \u201crediscover communication\u201d through a live social network where they can share photos, locations, messages and video, founder and CEO Johnny Cheng says.<\/p>\n

\u201cAmity is about letting people experience a new level of live human interaction,\u201d Cheng tells StartupSmart.<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cWe bring together and combine all the core functionality that people are used to and use day to day, then we\u2019re introducing a number of new levels that add to that communication experience.\u201d<\/p>\n

Cheng and fellow co-founders Nick Pestov, Kieran Harper and Jackson Cheng have been living and working together in a share house to build the app.<\/p>\n

\u201cFour of us entered the house and today we\u2019re a team of eight engineers and designers,\u201d Cheng says.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe decision [to move in together] was made quickly when we had this vision for what we wanted to create and the impact we wanted to make on the world.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere were two options: one, we either drop everything and go all in on this or we stop right now.\u201d<\/p>\n

With an aim to create something that will capture the world\u2019s imagination from day one, Cheng says he and his team have been working around the clock in top secret – except for Amity\u2019s team of eight, no one else has seen the app.<\/p>\n

\u201cNo one on the team told anyone about it this whole time,\u201d he says.<\/p>\n

The next social network<\/h3>\n

Cheng says Amity will be the first interactive messaging app that works in live mode, with users being able to interact more freely with live touch and emojis, and the ability to request and save things like location, photos and video in one place.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe way we currently interact digitally is nowhere close to what we experience in real life,\u201d he says.<\/p>\n

The app launches globally later this month and will be available on Android and Apple devices.<\/p>\n

\u201cTo walk on any street, any city, any country and see people using Amity with a smile on their face – that\u2019s our definition of success,\u201d Cheng says.<\/p>\n

Cheng says he’s also hoping to show the next generation of entrepreneurs what\u2019s possible if they have the courage to think differently and work outside the square.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt doesn\u2019t matter were you are or what resources you have, we are living in a time when you can make a positive impact in the world,\u201d he says.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe believe in order to move humanity forward, we must create things that inspire.\u201d<\/p>\n

Inside the Amity share house<\/h3>\n

Inside the Amity share house, the team dedicate every hour to the startup.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s seven days a week, 24 hours a day, if we\u2019re here, we\u2019re working,\u201d Cheng says.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s quite incredible.\u201d<\/p>\n

In addition to hard work and dedication, Cheng says the team celebrates the small wins along the way including new ideas, creativity and courageous decisions.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe entered the house knowing that it would be dedication, hard work, sacrifice,\u201d he says.<\/p>\n

\u201cEveryday we start full of energy.\u201d<\/p>\n

While there are no set work hours, Cheng says the onus is on every member to take responsibility and play a direct role in growing the company.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019re all in this together – everyone is a partner,\u201d he says.<\/p>\n

With each member expected to deliver nothing less than absolute commitment to the cause, getting into the Amity startup house is a highly selective process, he says.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe really needed people who shared the same values as us,\u201d Cheng says.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe needed people who all wanted to be part of this mission to create something that could capture people\u2019s imagination, who wanted to be part of creating something that could make an impact on the world.\u201d<\/p>\n

To help them build a team that matches this philosophy, Cheng asks three questions.<\/p>\n

The first relates to the ability to identify new opportunities and ideas: “Can you see what others can’t see?”<\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s about vision and creativity,” he says.<\/p>\n

The second question looks at the ability to execute: “Do you have the courage to make decisions?”<\/p>\n

\u201cIt takes courage to actually follow through with that idea and decisions,” Cheng says.<\/p>\n

The final question takes this further: “Are you willing to outwork everybody?”<\/p>\n

\u201cIt takes tremendous tenacity and dedication to make this happen,” he says.<\/p>\n

\u201cWithout all these three things, an adventure like this would not be possible.\u201d<\/p>\n

<\/h3>\n

Follow StartupSmart on <\/em>Facebook,<\/em> Twitter, <\/em>LinkedIn <\/em>and <\/em>SoundCloud.<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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