Sosh

Sosh operated as a digital concierge service, functioning as an app-based platform for booking tours and activities. The company was founded in 2010 by Rishi Mandal, Vivek Patel, and Rod Begbie, all of whom were former employees of Google and Slide. Mandal, who served as CEO, brought a background in physics from Stanford University and product management experience from Google. Patel's expertise was in business development and user acquisition.

The platform acted as a personal concierge for discovering and engaging in local experiences, from dining and the arts to outdoor activities. It utilized a combination of human curation and machine learning to deliver personalized recommendations based on user behavior, interests, demographics, and social connections. The primary clients were individuals in cities looking for curated local activities. For its merchant partners, Sosh provided a channel to connect with new customers. The business model focused on being a two-sided marketplace, connecting users with local businesses and activities.

Sosh's service was designed to help people break out of their routines by presenting a personalized collection of unique things to do in their city. In November 2015, the on-demand delivery company Postmates acquired the Sosh team in an "acqui-hire" deal. Eighteen of Sosh's employees, including founders Rishi Mandal and Vivek Patel, joined Postmates to help accelerate its product and business. Following the acquisition, Sosh discontinued its services and advised its merchant partners to transition to other platforms like Eventbrite.

Keywords: Sosh, local experiences, activity discovery, city guide, event booking, digital concierge, Rishi Mandal, Vivek Patel, Rod Begbie, Postmates acquisition, social platform, personalized recommendations, tour booking, activity recommendation, San Francisco startup, human curation, machine learning, local activities, two-sided marketplace