Event planning platform Partiful gets its groove on

The Future. In March 2020, Shreya Murthy co-founded Partiful as an alternative to Facebook Events, which “no one was using anymore.” Today, the platform boasts millions of users and has grown the number of events created on its site by over 1,000% year-over-year. If Partiful’s organic success foretells anything, it’s that tech designed to get people off their phones and interacting IRL is a worthy venture.

Where’s the party at?
Partiful is a one-stop shop with all the info people need for any party, including a place to trade GIFs, photos, comments, and memes.

• It’s best used for small community events like birthday parties and happy hours.
• By early 2022, Partiful had spread throughout NYC, LA, Barcelona, London, Berlin, Johannesburg, Tokyo, and Sydney.
• After an NYT article about Partiful hit newsstands in September 2022, site traffic surged, and “high-profile” events (NYFW, Coachella, Art Basel) became available on the platform.

Why’s it still word-of-mouth?
While Partiful originated in NYC, its early adopters “started to take it with them when they traveled,” according to Murthy, helping to liberate the brand from traditional marketing methods.

• The company has yet to run any paid ads, since the platform doesn’t see immediate conversion from any type of sharing.
• Nor has it worked with a marketing agency.

What’s next?
Right now, Partiful’s primary focus is building out a mobile app. Eventually, it’ll offer paid features for its “power hosts,” including tools to help them plan parties.