Gowalla

About Gowalla

Gowalla was a location-based social networking service that gamified the act of exploring real-world locations. The company was founded in 2007 by Josh Williams and Scott Raymond and was based in Austin, Texas. Williams, a visual designer, conceived the idea in 2008 near Lake Tahoe, envisioning a way to digitally capture and share travel moments, much like a passport. He sketched the initial concept, and his friend Raymond, a software developer, built the first prototype in a week. The platform officially launched in March 2009, on the same day as its main competitor, Foursquare, sparking a period of intense competition dubbed the "Check-in Wars".

The service allowed users to "check in" at specific spots using a mobile application, available on various platforms including the iPhone and Android devices. These check-ins were shared with friends and could be pushed to other social networks like Facebook and Twitter. A distinguishing feature of Gowalla was its emphasis on design and a sense of adventure; users could collect virtual items and passport-like stamps, and create "Trips" that linked together multiple spots into themed journeys like pub crawls or nature hikes. The business model included partnerships with companies like Disney and National Geographic, which provided curated content and promotional items within the app.

Despite raising $8.4 million in venture capital from prominent investors, Gowalla struggled to keep pace with Foursquare's user growth. In an attempt to differentiate itself, the company shifted its focus to become more of a social travel guide, incorporating city guides and recommendations. Ultimately, this pivot was not enough to overtake its rival. In December 2011, Facebook acquired the Gowalla team in what was primarily a talent acquisition. Facebook was interested in the team's expertise to help develop its Timeline feature and did not acquire Gowalla's service, technology, or user data. The Gowalla service was officially shut down in March 2012. The brand was later resurrected by founder Josh Williams, with a new augmented reality social app concept announced in 2020 and relaunched in March 2023.