Anybody with a computer or PDA can tell you that there is no shortage of online guides devoted to supplying information about various venues, be they restaurants, nightclubs, galleries or concert venues. The difficulty, most of us quickly discover, is staying abreast of the ever-shifting events that occur at these venues.
Zipscene, launched in 2004 by Sameer Mungur and partner Jaydev Karande, endeavored to streamline and simplify the events-listings game by aggregating the information into one easy-to-use portal. Users found they could plan their entertainment calendars simply by browsing event types, dates, venues or location.
"The local entertainment business is very event-driven," explains Mungur, Zipscene's chief executive officer. "These operators are constantly changing their offerings in an attempt to attract a wider audience." A bar may launch a new happy hour; a restaurant might organize a wine dinner; a gallery may be planning a buzz-worthy art opening.
Not only did the site immediately improve a consumer's experience, it allowed the business owners to concentrate on other tasks. "To reach a highly fragmented audience, an operator constantly has to promote their events in print, on air, and on Facebook, Metromix, Twitter, and whatever the next thing to come along is," says Mungur. "Zipscene takes care of the things they don't have time to do."
Once Zipscene found its groove in Cincinnati, the owners focused their efforts on building a scalable solution that could be exported to additional markets. By developing a better platform and teaming up with media partners in other cities, Zipscene has already expanded into 15 new markets. The goal, adds Mungur, is to have a presence in the top 30 U.S. cities.
Source: Sameer Mungur, Zipscene
Writer: Douglas Trattner