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Today major websites and social networks such as facebook and myspace were initially designed to be used by a home-alone user communicating from a desktop PC. This leads to what we call a virtual social life where people enjoy being connected with their friends in order to share pictures, videos and messages while at home (office?!?). On the other hand, the iPhone and other smartPhones create new ways to use the Internet while on the road, where ubiquity and positioning(GPS) become two essential ingredients that were not taken into account by first generation social networks.
At MadeinLocal.com, a Swiss start-up from EPFL, we believe that social networks should help the user to have a great social life. Therefore, we specialized our social network to provide useful information for the user's real social life, his local life. In particular, we put together local information about the most recommended must-see attractions, bars, restaurants and events and we bring him tools to invite and communicate with hisfriends in order to go out and enjoy with friends wonderful real life moments.
Manuel Acevedo is the CEO of MadeinLocal.com, an EPFL start-up specialized in new generation social networks. After his IT studies in Switzerland, France and the US, he worked for 6 years on high security constraint projects for the Canton of Geneva pubic administration. In particular the e-voting system and major Police projects.
In 2008, he started MadeinLocal.com in a "garage" in Canton de Vaud. Initial prototypes illustrating the team initial visions on the evolution of social networks led to several local and national prizes on innovation (EPFL innogrant, Venture Kick I & II). MadeinLocal goes public these days in Lausanne where University students are currently participating in the Best Lausanne Bar Election (by the EPFL-UNIL social network).
Organised by: Miguel Angel Marquina
Computing Seminars /IT Department