Journey of Naren Kumar: Founder and CEO of IamHere -Entrepreneur
Story of Naren Kumar:
Naren Kumar, an engineer from BITS Pilani and an MBA
graduate from ISB, found himself in a relatable urban struggle when he moved to
Mumbai after his studies. Despite being a guitarist and a former band member,
he couldn’t find like-minded people around his new neighborhood. It wasn’t
until he was leaving his society after three years that he realized a neighbor
was from his own B-school. This disconnect sparked the idea for a platform that
would help people discover others near them with shared interests.
From an Idea to a Mission
Realizing that technology made global connections easy but
local ones nearly invisible, Naren began speaking to people from different
walks of life. He discovered a common theme—no one truly knew what or who was
around them. People were unaware of events, promotions, or even like-minded
neighbors. That’s when the concept of IamHere was born—a hyperlocal social
network for meaningful neighborhood connections.
Early Experiments and Grassroots Testing
Naren and his co-founders developed an initial prototype and
tested it with about 100 friends and family. Encouraged by positive feedback,
they launched an Alpha version on the Play Store and gathered another 1,000
users. The team took to the streets, personally engaging with users to
understand their needs better. This hands-on approach helped them refine the
product and prepare it for a wider audience.
Scaling Through Beta Testing
Following Alpha testing, the team expanded their efforts
with a Beta version that reached 10,000 users. They combined offline and online
marketing strategies, learning how people interacted with the app and where
improvements were needed. Their fieldwork paid off, helping them achieve strong
word-of-mouth growth in Bengaluru, where they eventually crossed 100,000 users.
Building a Foundational Team
From the beginning, the IamHere leadership knew that their
early hires would shape the future of the company. They focused heavily on not
just technical skills but also character and cultural fit. Today, IamHere is a
tight-knit team of around ten people, each playing a crucial role in product
development, marketing, and strategy.
Creating a ‘Hyperlocal Facebook’
IamHere evolved from a simple map-based discovery platform
to what they now call a “Hyperlocal Facebook.” Realizing that connecting people
wasn’t just about maps, they introduced social features like chat, posts, and
event walls to encourage real interaction and build local communities.
Winning Recognition and Awards
The innovative idea and its execution have earned IamHere
several accolades. It won the Government of India’s AatmaNirbhar App Challenge
in 2020 and has since been recognized at platforms like the Economic Times
Emerging Tech Startup Awards and the Times Business Awards for technology
innovation in hyperlocal communities.
Dual Market Focus – B2C and B2B2C
IamHere runs on a two-sided business model. For everyday
users, it provides a free social networking platform for local connections,
events, and social commerce. On the B2B2C side, it offers private social
networks to gated communities, colleges, and organizations—creating smaller,
closed ecosystems within the larger hyperlocal framework.
Strategic Collaborations for Growth
To offer meaningful local content and engagement, IamHere
built strong partnerships. They collaborated with EventsHigh to list national
events, GuideStar to aggregate verified NGOs, and GreatBuyz to bring local
promotions. These alliances helped the app become a comprehensive platform for
hyperlocal discovery and interaction.
Journey of Naren Kumar: Founder and CEO of IamHere -Entrepreneur# entrepreneur#startup#age#IamHere story#Naren Kumar story#biography#Hyperlocal Faceboo
Building Private Communities
Recognizing the power of community, IamHere began creating
closed social networks for colleges and residential communities. Through
collaborations with partners like iNurture, they onboarded academic
institutions, allowing students and faculty to connect, collaborate, and share
events within their campuses.
Organic User Growth
Unlike many startups that rely heavily on paid ads, IamHere
focused on word-of-mouth and community engagement. Users found value in
discovering others nearby, and naturally referred the app to friends. This
organic growth strategy helped them scale without high customer acquisition
costs.
Empowering Local Commerce
Beyond social connection, IamHere enables local commerce.
Small businesses can promote their services, run offers, and connect directly
with neighborhood customers. This approach not only helps users discover local
shops but also supports small enterprises struggling to be visible in the
digital age.
A Lean, Resilient Startup
Naren’s experience in large corporations like Cisco and
Schneider Electric, and startups like 2020 Imaging, helped him build IamHere
with lean operations. The team remains compact but highly efficient, focusing
on scalable technology and meaningful user engagement rather than rapid,
unsustainable expansion.
Recognition as a Leader
Naren Kumar has been acknowledged individually for his
leadership. He was named “Entrepreneur of the Year” at the National Achievers
Recognition Forum in 2023 and “Young Asian Entrepreneur” at AsiaOne in Bangkok
in 2020. His journey reflects a deep understanding of both technology and human
behavior.
Looking Ahead
With the Location-Based Services market projected to exceed
$100 billion globally by 2025, IamHere is well-positioned for growth. Its
vision of connecting people, businesses, and organizations in their own
neighborhoods addresses a real and growing need. As urban life grows more
isolated, Naren’s dream of enabling hyperlocal discovery continues to gain
momentum—one neighborhood at a time.
A timeline with only dates and brief one-line explanations:
2016: Naren Kumar moved to Mumbai and faced local social
disconnect.
2017: Concept of IamHere was born to solve hyperlocal
discovery.
2018: Alpha version tested with 1,000+ users via grassroots
efforts.
2019: Beta version launched, reached 10,000+ users in
Bengaluru.
2020: Won AatmaNirbhar App Innovation Challenge.
2020: Recognized as “Young Asian Entrepreneur” by AsiaOne in
Bangkok
2021: Introduced “Hyperlocal Facebook” with chat and event
walls.
2022: Partnered with EventsHigh, GuideStar, GreatBuyz for
content.
2022: Started private networks for colleges and communities.
2023: Naren awarded “Entrepreneur of the Year” at National
Achievers Forum.
2025 (projected): Poised for growth in $100B+ Location-Based
Services market
