Hriday
About Hriday
Hriday, co-founder of Wildfire, launched the app during his senior year at UC Berkeley, transforming it from a college safety alert system to a top-ranked social news platform.
Hriday Co-Founder of Wildfire
Hriday is a Co-founder of Wildfire, a platform initially conceived as a safety alert app for colleges. Along with his co-founders Jay and Vinay, Hriday launched Wildfire during his senior year at the University of California, Berkeley. The app quickly evolved into a social news app, providing users with real-time updates and community engagement features.
Hriday's Education at UC Berkeley
Hriday attended the University of California, Berkeley, where he played a crucial role in launching Wildfire during his senior year. His experiences at UC Berkeley, including participating in a viral safety public service announcement on Facebook and leveraging local social media groups, significantly influenced the early growth and development of the platform.
Building and Scaling at Opendoor
Hriday focused on building and scaling products that cater to local market needs during his tenure at Opendoor. His experience with Wildfire, particularly in understanding and addressing community-specific requirements, aligned well with Opendoor's goals of solving consumer needs at a local level.
Achievements with Wildfire App
Wildfire, co-founded by Hriday, achieved substantial success by sending 65 million alerts to nearly 1 million users over six years. The platform raised $3.1 million in venture funding and was launched across 200 universities. Wildfire ranked in the Top 5 in the News Category, competing with platforms like Twitter, Reddit, and Nextdoor. Hriday's efforts with Wildfire were recognized when he was selected for Forbes 30 under 30 in 2020.
Wildfire's Evolution and Impact
Wildfire started as a safety alert app but evolved into a comprehensive social news platform under Hriday's co-leadership. The app provided critical real-time coronavirus updates during the COVID-19 pandemic and facilitated various local community activities. Wildfire played a vital role during crises, such as effectively informing students during a shooting near the Berkeley campus faster than traditional news sources.