Yik Yak launched just over a year ago, and in that short time, the app has become a household dormhold name among young people.
The social network, which acts like a hyperlocal, anonymous Twitter, was born out of the Southeast from founders Brooks Buffington and Tyler Droll. After hitting up nearby college campuses, the duo found fast success as the app spread from school to school and eventually into high schools.
But success is a double-edged sword.
The app quickly ran into problems around bullying, especially with high-school kids and younger, and received negative backlash from parents and administrators. But the young founders acted responsibly and immediately began geo-fencing high schools so that the app wouldn’t work from inside the buildings.
But the perils of anonymous social networking wasn’t the only obstacle in the way of the fast-rising app.
Like many ultra-successful social networking companies, Yik Yak was sued by a person alleging to be a former cofounder and frat brother named Doug Warstler. Warstler believes he is owed a founders’ share of the company.
Oh, and if that weren’t enough, the company has raised more than $70 million in total.
Needless to say, there’s plenty to discuss on the stage of the Disrupt New York conference, and we hope to see you there, too.
Buffington and Droll will join other notable Disrupt NY speakers, including Tinder’s Sean Rad, FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler, and Fred Wilson.
The show runs May 4-6 at the historic Manhattan Center. Tickets are available at an early-bird discount rate until April 11.
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