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| 200px | |
Type of site | Social network service |
|---|---|
| Available in | English ( US), French ( France), German, Spanish, Spanish ( Castile) |
| Founded | Lausanne, Switzerland |
| Headquarters | Lausanne, Switzerland |
| URL | www.madeinlocal.com |
MadeinLocal is an interactive guide and social network that is owned and operated by Useful Web. [1] [2]. Anyone can create a MadeinLocal account or use their Facebook account [3]. Users can add friends and send them messages, as well as comment and rate bars, restaurants and events. Furthermore they can use the Rendez-vous tool as an alternative to Doodle to organize meetings. The website's name stems from the will to promote local businesses through the comments of the community. [4].
History
MadeinLocal is the main product by Useful Web, a start-up company founded by Manuel Acevedo [5] in 2008. The iPhone application was launched on the 13th of April 2010 [6] and an application for Google Android is currently in development .
Concept
MadeinLocal aims to provide meaningful information concerning local life through the user's social network, by providing results sorted according to their friends’ recommendations [7].
The background of the website is a full screen map, considered the best way to show local places and events. The search engine provides a list of bars, restaurants, clubs, events, places to see and accommodation ranked through the comments and stars awarded by other users. An algorithm was created in order to give a higher weighted influence to recommendations and stars awarded by the user's friends. Thus each user's ranking is personalized [8] .
The website is free for users and hopes to generate revenue through the sale of showcases to local merchants. [9]
Features
MadeinLocal does not allow much personalization of the user's profile. The web-site's main features are its search engine that personalizes each registered user's list, its messaging platform, and its event scheduling service [10].
Any merchant wishing to have an official showcase on the website can do so for a fee. In this case they can add information concerning their business, pictures and videos. A booking platform will soon follow.
Prizes
MadeinLocal has won several prizes and awards since its creation. It has been financially supported by Innogrants [11], a support service provided by the École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne ( EPFL) and won the VentureKick [12] that provides a starting capital to entrepreneurs. It has as well won the Perl Trophy 2009, the Entrepreneurial prize 2010 at the Ecole Hotelière de Lausanne ( EHL) [13]for its business plan created with a group of students in their final year, and the IMD Startup Competition 2010. [14]
References
- ^ "Useful Web".
- ^ "MadeinLocal and Useful Web".
- ^ "Una iniciativa tinerfeña promociona el turismo en internet".
- ^ "MadeinLocal who we are".
- ^ "Manuel Acevedo Portrait".
- ^ "MadeinLocal in the 20 Minutes newspaper".
- ^ "MadeinLocal lanza su aplicación iPhone ofreciendo su guía turística y de ocio".
- ^ "MadeinLocal in Femina".
- ^ "MadeinLocal promotion".
- ^ "Les Vaudois surfent sur la vague montante d'internet".
- ^ "MadeinLocal Innogrant".
- ^ "MadeinLocal VentureKick".
- ^ "Made in local gana el premio Tenerife Emprende".
- ^ "MadeinLocal IMD".
External links
