These founders built a map app for Gen Z to discover new places like restaurants and shops. They've raised $3.8 million.

Eliza Wu and Jake Xia are on a mission to redefine how Gen Z discovers new places. Their startup, Corner, has developed a unique social mapping application aimed at competing with established platforms like Yelp and Tripadvisor. Unlike traditional mapping services such as Google Maps or Apple Maps, Corner focuses on community-driven content, allowing users to explore restaurants, clubs, shops, and other local businesses recommended by fellow users. Launched in 2022, the app features more than 275,000 locations, all contributed by its user base, which was a deliberate choice by the founders against the advice of scraping existing data from the internet. Corner is tapping into significant trends within the social tech landscape, catering specifically to Gen Z, a demographic that many platforms are eager to engage. The app stands alongside a growing number of restaurant discovery tools, including Beli and Places, as well as various social applications that promote real-life experiences over mindless scrolling. One of Corner's standout features is its user-generated descriptions of locations, which reflect a Gen Z perspective. As Wu explained, while Google may label a venue as a ‘$$ cocktail bar with tapas,’ users might describe it as a ‘performative male wine bar to break someone's heart.’ Notably, the app does not use star ratings, which the CTO Xia argues lack emotional depth. Instead, users categorize their experiences into lists that blend personal recommendations with creative expression. Currently, Corner boasts around 55,000 users across 450 cities, with concentrations in vibrant urban centers like New York, San Francisco, Tokyo, Los Angeles, and Seoul. Wu and Xia's journey began in 2021 via a Twitter connection, leading to Wu's exit from private equity and Xia's decision to leave college after securing initial funding from venture capitalists. The duo now operates out of a modest New York City apartment that doubles as their office. The startup has successfully raised approximately $3.75 million across two funding rounds from notable investors, including Abstract Ventures and angel investors like Shreya Murthy. Ramtin Naimi, founder of Abstract Ventures, praised Corner's execution, emphasizing the value of personal recommendations in a landscape crowded with similar concepts. Corner combines elements of Google Maps, Yelp, Pinterest, and Instagram, featuring a user-friendly interface that encourages social interaction. With a recent survey indicating that 77% of Gen Z respondents discover new dining options through social media, Corner has integrated a function allowing users to import Instagram and TikTok posts, automatically extracting and adding restaurant details to their maps. This month, Corner is set to enhance its app with a new AI search feature, enabling users to make semantic queries such as 'places to cowork from' or 'romantic wine bars.' Built using Anthropic's Claude model and other technologies, this feature will generate recommendations based solely on contributions from Corner users. In addition to expanding its app capabilities, Corner plans to launch a digital magazine featuring curated content from user reviews. The startup is also venturing into hosting events, with one completed and another scheduled for October. While it does not currently generate revenue, Wu mentioned potential future plans for a premium version of the app and partnerships with small businesses. As Corner rolls out its innovative offerings and grows its team to eight employees, the challenge remains to capture Gen Z's attention in a competitive market. Wu acknowledges the fierce competition for screen time, especially against platforms like Instagram and TikTok. However, Xia emphasizes that Corner's vision is to facilitate real-world interactions, encouraging users to make plans with friends rather than merely socializing online.