Saurabh Saxena and Vasavi Kandula: Nurturing a Digital Safe Haven for Teens with Uable

In September 2021, Saurabh Saxena and Vasavi Kandula co-founded Uable, a groundbreaking teenage social networking app. Uable was conceived on the belief that teenagers possess limitless potential and, despite being digital natives, often find it challenging to find acceptance in the digital landscape. The platform seeks to provide a space for teens aged 13 to 19 to interact, learn, create content, find internships, play games, and even shop, all while ensuring a secure and inclusive environment. Saurabh Saxena, a 39-year-old IIT-Roorkee graduate, had spent 13 years as an educator and co-founded Vedantu, an edtech platform. His extensive experience with young learners revealed that while academics play a significant role in a teenager’s life, they are also eager for much more than just textbooks and exams. Uable emerged as a solution to help teens discover their passions, interests, and activities to excel in.

To cater to the diverse interests of teenagers, Uable offers 20 clubs, virtual communities where they can join based on their preferences. These clubs encompass various topics such as design, art, gaming, career, anime, and K-pop. One enthusiastic user, 18-year-old Tejas Ruplal Meshram from Navi Mumbai, has been using Uable for five months. He has amassed around 4,000 followers on the platform and actively participates in clubs like gaming, fashion, and design. Tejas shares how he stumbled upon Uable when he was feeling bored after an online physics exam, and since then, he’s been hooked. He spends around 2 to 3 hours on the app every day and considers it a fantastic way to make new friends and connect with people who share his interests.

Uable has garnered an impressive user base, boasting 2.5 lakh users and 5 lakh downloads. Beyond being just a networking and learning platform, Uable offers teenagers the opportunity to take on challenges, accumulate reward points known as ‘U-coins,’ and redeem them at the ‘U-store,’ an in-app shop with over 200 products from renowned brands. Despite being a relatively new entrant, Uable focuses on growth and user engagement, deferring its revenue generation. Initially bootstrapped, the platform has successfully secured $4.5 million in investments from notable backers like 3one4 Capital, Jafco Asia, and Chiratae Ventures. Uable plans to monetize through pro-tools for creators and brands, U-coins for unlocking premium content and communities, and commissions from enabling commerce for creators and brands.

The Indian social media landscape is competitive and diverse, with Instagram holding the top spot in popularity. However, the majority of its users are teenagers, which is where Uable finds its niche. The app faces direct competition from platforms like Discord, while other competitors include Instagram, Moj, Snapchat, and Pinterest. What sets Uable apart is its commitment to empowering teenagers. Unlike other social media platforms, the community guidelines on Uable are written by the teenagers themselves. They actively contributed to and published these guidelines on the app. This unique approach aligns with Uable’s mission to be a safe and empowering platform tailored for young users.

In terms of safety, Uable acknowledges the vulnerability of its target demographic, aged 13 to 19. The platform employs strict safety measures, filtering out harmful and abusive content. Teens can easily report any negative comments, which are promptly removed. The platform also relies on private chats between users, and AI helps detect and moderate content to ensure the safety and well-being of its users. While the internet and social media continue to be a prevalent part of today’s world, Uable seeks to empower teenagers to navigate these digital landscapes safely. Dr. Radhika Bapat, a cross-cultural psychologist and counselor, suggests the introduction of subjects like ‘Defense against the Dark Web’ in schools, aimed at educating children on safely managing online interactions, understanding issues like online predation, bullying, and fostering open communication with trusted adults.

Uable’s innovative approach has piqued the interest of investors like 3one4 Capital. The platform aims to onboard 10 million teenagers by the end of 2024, offering not only growth in users but also enabling creators to build thriving communities and monetize their digital content and services.

As Saurabh Saxena and Vasavi Kandula continue their journey with Uable, they are paving the way for teenagers to explore their passions, connect with like-minded peers, and discover a safe haven in the digital world. Uable represents a new era of social networking—a space where teens can flourish, learn, and be themselves.