Publications
Publications
- January 2020
- HBS Case Collection
Lunchclub: Algorithmic Networking
By: Scott Duke Kominers and George Gonzalez
Abstract
Algorithmic networking startup Lunchclub coordinates in-person meetings between professionals who would have been unlikely to meet. The company faces marketplace design, growth, and monetization challenges: The executive team has to refine Lunchclub's marketplace strategy and determine whether the company should continue to focus on its current use cases and geographical hubs or expand the platform's scale and scope. And while Lunchclub unlocks significant value by brokering new connections, the team still has to identify whom to charge and how.
Keywords
Monetization Strategy; Networking; Business Startups; Marketplace Matching; Market Design; Growth and Development Strategy; Information Industry
Citation
Kominers, Scott Duke, and George Gonzalez. "Lunchclub: Algorithmic Networking." Harvard Business School Case 820-051, January 2020.