Presenter: Dan Bauer

Job title: Founder

Based in: London

Founded in: 2014

No. of Employees: 6

Dan Bauer

Dan Bauer began his career as a software developer and has been involved in technology at the managerial level for 20 years including roles at NCR, Commtouch, and Hutchison 3G (‘3’).

For the past 10 years, he has been involved in a number of startups as founder or CEO including a ringtones and mobile games business acquired by Trinity Mirror plc, and a wearable technology startup focused on the seniors market. Dan has an MBA from Said Business School at the University of Oxford.

Recent Milestones

• Launched PoochPal Beta version 0.9 (iOS)
• Reached first 1,000 users within a couple of weeks
• Conversion rates 3x higher than industry average
• App engagement high 2-3x a day, 6 days a week

Upcoming Milestones

• Release version 1.0 of PoochPal (iOS)
• PoochPal for Android
• Increased marketing reach

Background Profile

PoochPal is a smartphone app which helps dog owners find new friends, connect with existing friends, and go on walks or arrange doggie play dates in their local area. PoochPal is focused on building its user base throughout the UK and in major US cities such as New York and Los Angeles.

The business will eventually monetise through targeted national or local advertising of pet-related products and services.

Inside track

Pooch Pal founder Dan Bauer realised from walking his dog Roxie, a border terrier, that she had made ‘friends’ with other dogs in their local park Kensington Gardens. 

Young dogs like Roxie need to run around and get at least half an hour to an hour off the lead exercise each day. By having an app where he could connect Roxie’s friends in the local area he could set up times to meet, and remove the mystery of whether she would ‘get along’ with other dogs.

Pooch Pal is unique because it is the “only location-based platform in the world that allows all pet owners, both married and single to interact and connect,” he explains.

The app soft launched in April 2015 and has gained significant traction to date. 

Designed to validate the market with a minimum feature set and proposition, over 2,000 users downloaded the application with over 50% of this use base actively using the application each day. Many love the idea of PoochPal and are not just users but fans. 

“Since we launched our beta test at the end of April we now know that our cost of acquisition is in line with the business plan, and have a very good idea of what our users want,” explains Bauer.

“There will be many new features coming soon to improve the product and user experience, grow the user base, and increase engagement within PoochPal.

Recent Technology

Apple iOS made for iPhone

Hosted with Amazon Web Services (AWS)

Technology developed in London ‘made in Shoreditch’

Products

PoochPal for Apple iPhone

Alliances

• Apple Developer
• Facebook Developer
• Amazon Web Services Partner

Investors

• 12 investors in total
• senior manager from mobile network operator family office
• founder of a uk plc
• experienced tech angel investors