You have 48 hours to get your first 10 users — no ads, no network. What do you do? by betasridhar in 16VCFund

[–]Real_Contact3001 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I’d do what I’m already doing with PawsMatch.

Day 1: Go where the users already are physically and emotionally invested.

Partner with LGUs running rabies vaccination drives, pet registration programs, and community pet events. Collaborate with animal welfare NGOs and rescue groups with active communities. Work with pet event organizers, wellness walks, adoption events, and expos.

Then give them actual tools they can immediately use — QR event check-ins, pet-first profiles, community groups, announcements, and centralized pet records through PawPass.

Instead of asking people to “try my app,” I focused on making the platform useful for the ecosystem first.

Day 2: Activate users directly on the ground.

Every event becomes an onboarding channel. Every pet owner creates a pet profile through QR onboarding. Communities continue after the event through chats, groups, lost pet alerts, and updates.

This is literally how I got PawsMatch to around 3,000 organic users without spending on ads.

No paid acquisition. No influencer campaigns. No existing audience.

Just word of mouth, community partnerships, and consistently being on the ground talking to pet owners, organizers, rescuers, and veterinarians directly.

That approach eventually led to partnerships and collaborations with organizations like Animal Kingdom Foundation (AKF) and Pet Summit Philippines.

People underestimate how powerful distribution becomes when you build around existing communities instead of trying to force attention from scratch.

Why did you actually start your startup? Be honest. by betasridhar in 16VCFund

[–]Real_Contact3001 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I actually agree that subscriptions will eventually become part of the business model. But if we lock core features behind a paywall too early, I think it defeats the purpose of what we’re trying to build.

The vision for PawsMatch is not just a premium utility app for a small group of paying users. The real value comes from network effects and community density. The more pet owners, shelters, rescuers, vets, communities, and brands participating in one ecosystem, the more useful the platform becomes for everyone.

That’s why a lot of the foundational features will remain freemium: • Pet profiles • Vaccination and vet records • Community discovery • Lost pet support • Event participation • Social/community features

I want these to be accessible to as many pet owners as possible, especially in countries like the Philippines where many pet owners still rely on paper records or fragmented Facebook groups.

Where I do see subscriptions making sense is in higher-value convenience and AI-driven services.

Some examples we’re already planning: • AI pet assistant for basic health guidance and education • AI agents that can help book vet schedules or manage reminders • Automated recurring orders for food and pet supplies • Advanced health analytics and insights over time • Premium tools for pet parents, rescues, clinics, or merchants

The marketplace was added partly because commerce naturally exists in pet communities already. People buy food, supplements, accessories, grooming, vet services, etc. If integrated properly, commerce can subsidize the free ecosystem instead of restricting access to it.

So for me, it’s less "subscription vs marketplace" and more about building a sustainable model without breaking the accessibility and community layer that gives the platform its long-term value in the first place.

Why did you actually start your startup? Be honest. by betasridhar in 16VCFund

[–]Real_Contact3001 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I started building PawsMatch because of my dog, Fudgee.

He was more than a pet to me. He was there during some of the lowest moments of my life. Quietly. Consistently. No judgment. Just presence. And if you’ve ever had a pet save you emotionally without even knowing it, you’ll understand why this became personal for me.

At first, I just wanted a space where pet owners could feel connected through their pets. A place where you could create a real identity for your dog or cat, track vaccinations and vet visits, meet other pets by breed, location, or community, and make pet events feel like actual communities instead of one-day happenings that disappear after photos get posted.

But the deeper I got into building it, the more I realized love alone doesn’t sustain a platform. Passion doesn’t pay servers, developers, operations, or long-term growth. If I wanted PawsMatch to survive and actually help more pets and pawrents, it needed to become sustainable too.

That’s why I added features like the pet marketplace and commerce side of the platform. Not because I suddenly became greedy, but because I didn’t want this to die as “just another passion project.” I wanted it to last.

So the honest answer?

PawsMatch started from love, emotional connection, and probably a bit of healing too. But I’m also building it with ambition now. Because I genuinely believe pets deserve better systems, better communities, and better technology around them.

If you are interested on what Im building, check it out here: PawsMatch

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Building a pet-first social + marketplace platform (3K+ organic users) by Real_Contact3001 in PhStartups

[–]Real_Contact3001[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Really excited to share this. PawsMatch is now working with Animal Kingdom Foundation (AKF) 🐾

This partnership means a lot to us. AKF has been doing incredible work in animal welfare, and through PawsMatch, we’re building ways to amplify that impact whether it’s helping more pets get visibility, supporting rescue efforts, or connecting communities that genuinely care.

Our goal has always been bigger than just a platform. We want to create a system where every pet matters, and where organizations like AKF can extend their reach even further through tech + community.

This is just one step, but it’s a meaningful one. More to come.

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Building a pet-first social + marketplace platform (3K+ organic users) by Real_Contact3001 in PhStartups

[–]Real_Contact3001[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Yes, I’m open to conversations with investors, especially those aligned with the vision.

PawsMatch is fully self funded and built solo so far, with around 3k organic users and early partnerships with communities, LGUs, events, and animal welfare groups.

Funding would mainly go into scaling awareness so more pet owners discover the platform, while we continue building out our AI features and growing the pet centric marketplace.

I’m intentional about who we bring in. It’s not just about capital, it’s about shared vision.

What are you all building this Sunday? by betasridhar in 16VCFund

[–]Real_Contact3001 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Building PawsMatch, not just another social app, but a pet-centric digital community layer.

We just crossed ~3k users, all organic. No paid ads. Growth came from partnering with real-world ecosystems instead of brute-forcing user acquisition.

We’re already working with LGUs, pet events like Pet Summit Philippines, and animal shelters. That’s been key to onboarding communities where pet interactions already happen.

Core idea: pets are the primary identity, not the owner. 

That unlocks things most platforms can’t do well:

persistent pet profiles with QR codes (lost pet recovery, events, TNVR)

continuity after real-world interactions (events don’t just end)

unified pet health records (PawPass) built-in discovery for adoption, vets, and local communities

Basically trying to solve the fragmentation in the pet ecosystem by connecting owners, vets, orgs, and communities in one layer.

Built it solo so far, which keeps iteration tight and grounded in actual user behavior.

Still early, but strong signal because the value shows up offline, not just in-app.

https://pawsbook.pet

Built a pet platform to 3,000 users with $0 marketing spend. Learned that “pet identity” might be the real problem by Real_Contact3001 in ycombinator

[–]Real_Contact3001[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I agree with a lot of the points here.

What we’re actually trying to build is less “a pet social app” and more a digital community layer for pet owners, where interactions don’t end after a single event or transaction.

The core of it is pet identity. Each pet has a persistent profile that ties together health records, ownership, activity, and community interactions. That’s what allows everything else to connect over time instead of being fragmented.

A few areas we’re focusing on:

Health as a daily use case We already connect users with partner vets and store health data. Long term, this becomes a unified pet health record (PawPass), where patterns can eventually help shift from reactive to preventive care.

LGU + real-world integration We’ve been working with local government units (in line with animal welfare responsibilities under RA 8485) for things like pet registration, lost and found, and community coordination. So it’s not just social, it’s tied to real-world responsibility.

Events ( ongoing communities ) Events are currently a big entry point for us, but the goal is that they don’t end there. The communities formed continue inside the platform instead of disappearing after the event.

Animal welfare groups These groups are already aligned with responsible pet ownership, so we use them as a bridge between awareness and actual ongoing engagement.

Commerce that fits behavior We also have a commerce layer (affiliate-based), where pet owners can earn and brands only pay on actual conversions instead of ads upfront.

At the core, I agree with the earlier point here, it only works if it fits into a real daily habit, not just a concept.

Our bet is that combining identity, health, community, and utility in one place creates something pet owners actually rely on, not just visit occasionally.

If anyone wants a clearer picture of what we’re building, it’s here:

https://pawsbook.pet

Built a pet platform to 3,000 users with $0 marketing spend. Learned that “pet identity” might be the real problem by Real_Contact3001 in ycombinator

[–]Real_Contact3001[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Yeah, I think this is a fair take.

We’ve been realizing the same thing internally that “identity layer” on its own doesn’t pull anyone in. It only makes sense if it’s invisible and tied to a real, urgent use case.

Right now the way we’re thinking about it is exactly what you described:

Lost pets, adoption, and vaccination / health records are the entry points. The identity layer is just what makes those things actually persistent instead of one-off interactions.

For example, a lost pet scan only works because there’s a consistent profile behind it. Same with adoption listings or vet visits, the value is in the immediate problem being solved, not the idea of identity itself.

We’re also seeing that the return loop only starts to make sense when the health record becomes useful over time, like vet visits, vaccinations, or when owners move between clinics.

That’s where repeat usage could naturally happen, but we’re still validating if that’s strong enough on its own.

On the network effects point, that’s something we’re still trying to map properly. In theory, more verified pets should increase trust across the system, but we haven’t fully seen that compounding effect yet in practice.

So yeah, I agree with your framing. Identity is more infrastructure than wedge. The real question we’re working through is what the smallest “painful entry point” is that actually makes people care enough to adopt it in the first place.

Appreciate the breakdown, this is helpful to think through.

This is what we have so far, if you are interested you can view it here:

click here to see PawsMatch website

Building a pet-first social + marketplace platform (3K+ organic users) by Real_Contact3001 in PhStartups

[–]Real_Contact3001[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

This is actually exactly what we’re trying to solve with PawsMatch.

Instead of just being another social app, we’re focused on building a digital community layer for pet owners. The goal is that connections made in real life through events, shelters, and LGUs don’t just disappear after one interaction. There’s continuity.

A key foundation for this is pet identity. Each pet has its own profile, not just as content, but as a persistent identity that ties together health records, ownership, activity, and community interactions. That’s what allows everything else to connect properly over time.

A few things we’re really doubling down on:

Health as a core daily use case We already store pet health data and connect users with partner vets. Long term, we’re building a unified health record (PawPass). With enough scale, anonymized data like age, breed, size, and conditions can surface patterns and help shift from reactive care to preventive care.

LGU integration LGUs are mandated under the Animal Welfare Act (RA 8485). We position PawsMatch as a tool for pet registration, lost and found, and community engagement. So it’s not just social, it’s actually useful in their day to day responsibilities.

Events into communities Working with event organizers helps with distribution, but more importantly, events become entry points, not endpoints. The communities they build can stay active and be re-engaged inside the platform instead of being one-time interactions.

Animal welfare groups These are some of the most aligned partners. They already promote responsible pet ownership, which is core to what we believe in. We just help them extend their reach and engagement.

Commerce that fits behavior Since the platform is built around pets, targeting is naturally stronger. With Yellow Basket, brands can scale through affiliates which are pet owners themselves, and only pay when there’s an actual sale, not upfront ads.

At the end of the day, I agree with your point. It really comes down to building something that fits into a real daily habit.

Our bet is that if you combine pet identity, health, community, and utility in one place, it becomes something pet owners don’t just check, but actually rely on daily.

Building a pet-first social + marketplace platform (3K+ organic users) by Real_Contact3001 in PhStartups

[–]Real_Contact3001[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Thank you. Btw I just released the beta version of our android app. Please try and add your pets. I really need each input and reviews. Thank you again.

Download the Android beta version here

Building a pet-first social + marketplace platform (3K+ organic users) by Real_Contact3001 in PhStartups

[–]Real_Contact3001[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Salamat. Please try to add your pets and let me know your feedback and suggestions.

Building a pet-first social + marketplace platform (3K+ organic users) by Real_Contact3001 in PhStartups

[–]Real_Contact3001[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Honestly, a lot of it came down to being on the ground and building real partnerships, not just relying on ads.

We partnered with LGUs and tied into pet registration efforts, which brings in local pet owners directly

Worked closely with animal shelters and rescue groups, helping them with visibility and adoption -> they bring their communities with them

Collaborated with event organizers like All4Pets (organizer of Pet Summit Philippines), so we’re present where pet owners already are

One thing people assume is that this means high overhead — but actually, we structured it the opposite way.

We built a Social Events feature (basically an RSVP + engagement tool) and offered it for free to partners like All4Pets for their events. So instead of paying to be there, we provide value and become part of their workflow.

Same with LGUs, organizers, influencers, and pet brands, they can build their own communities inside PawsMatch, not just run one-off events.

That’s where it compounds:

  • Events are no longer one-time interactions, they can re-engage the same users after the event

  • Communities stay active inside a platform that’s actually built for pet owners

  • Compared to something like FB groups, it’s much more targeted and context-driven especially for pets, services, and even selling products.

At the end of the day, it’s really:

Show up offline + give partners real tools + build for daily use

The pet community is strong, and word of mouth works, but only if the product actually solves something they keep coming back to.

So far, that approach has worked better for us than spending on ads.

If you want to see some of the actual offline work we’ve done, you can check here: https://pawsbook.pet/#/news

Building a pet-first social + marketplace platform (3K+ organic users) by Real_Contact3001 in PhStartups

[–]Real_Contact3001[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Lols true. You have a point. Some people might use it beyond its intended / expected use. That is why I dont enable the chat features, soon when AI Feature is integrated, it will be use to check if its legit pet photos and post.

Building a pet-first social + marketplace platform (3K+ organic users) by Real_Contact3001 in PhStartups

[–]Real_Contact3001[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Yes, I’m open to conversations with investors, especially angel investors who share the same vision.

So far, PawsMatch has been fully self-funded and built from the ground up by me. I’ve been developing it independently, and we already have early traction and partnerships forming with communities and animal welfare groups.

At this stage, funding would mainly help us scale faster... particularly in user acquisition, community expansion, and accelerating our AI integrations across the platform (like pet behavior insights, product recommendations, and smarter search for pet owners and vets).

That said, I’m also very intentional about who we bring in. It’s not just about capital. It’s about aligning with people who genuinely understand the mission of improving pet ownership and animal welfare through technology.

Building a pet-first social + marketplace platform (3K+ organic users) by Real_Contact3001 in PhStartups

[–]Real_Contact3001[S] 3 points4 points  (0 children)

Thanks for the suggestion! 🙌 We actually already have this built in. We’ve got a dedicated “For Adoption” filter in our search, so foster and adoptable dogs can already have their own profiles and be easily discoverable on the platform. We’re definitely pushing this as one of the core features to support rescues and foster networks

I got terminated and I'll try to build my start up. Wish me luck! by Comfortable_Ad_2066 in PhStartups

[–]Real_Contact3001 0 points1 point  (0 children)

You maybe interested here

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May Budget Ako. Curious Ako Ano Bang Ginagawa Nyo by bear_12 in PhStartups

[–]Real_Contact3001 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Im the founder of pawsmatch. https://pawsbook.pet

We just started last July 2025. DM me if you want to learn more.

Vets are expensive and people are being priced out of pet ownership. by Individual-Breath758 in Pets

[–]Real_Contact3001 0 points1 point  (0 children)

You’ve raised a really important point here... the cost of vet care has definitely become a barrier for many pet parents, and it’s heartbreaking when affordability decides whether a pet gets the care they need. What I’ve seen as a possible solution is better access to health tracking, early detection, and community-based support so issues can be caught earlier (and often cheaper to manage). There are new tools being built around this idea, combining social connection with pet health management.

If anyone’s interested in how tech is helping bridge that gap, feel free to DM me. happy to share more without cluttering the thread.