The social media upstart, emerging from stealth mode, is now available to anyone with a .edu email address as it launches exclusively into the college market.

After months of building excitement under the radar, Connyct, the mobile short form video app designed to connect people through personalized communities, launched into the college market exclusively on the iOS App Store today. Connyct is now open to anyone with a valid .edu email address.

Bridging Online to Offline

Connyct (pronounced kuh-nekt) introduces a fresh take on social media, designed to foster genuine relationships and create memorable experiences both online and offline. The platform – already deemed a USA-based TikTok challenger – prioritizes real connections. With its launch into the college market, Connyct makes it easier than ever for students to meet, collaborate, and create meaningful communities around the college experience.

“We’ve designed Connyct to bring students together in real life, not just behind a screen,” said Matthew Berman, Co-Founder and CEO of Connyct. “After months of feedback during our initial designs and through extensive testing period, we’re thrilled to open the doors to campuses everywhere and redefine what the social media experience can be.”

The first of its kind Events Center is uniquely powered by mobile short form video that users have grown accustomed to. Users will be able to edit like a pro, plan, capture and share moments with fully-licensed music integrated into video, as well as find the hottest parties, plan group events, and keep up with their squad all in one place. No one will miss the Uber to the party or wear the same dress as you again.

Features Tailored for College Life

• Campus Exclusivity: Users can only join with a .edu email, ensuring a secure and focused college community.
• Interest-Based Groups: Whether it’s gaming, study groups, or outdoor adventures, students can easily find like-minded peers.
• Event Discovery: From club meetings to spontaneous campus hangouts, Connyct’s event tools make it simple to stay in the loop.
• Real Connections: Unlike traditional social media, Connyct emphasizes real-world meetups and meaningful interaction.

Be the “Connyctor” on Your Campus

As Connyct rolls out nationwide, the app encourages students to take the lead in bringing this innovative platform to their schools through the paid ambassador ‘Connyctor’ program. By applying and joining up, Connyctors can help build a more connected, vibrant, and inclusive campus culture inside and outside the app.

College students can download Connyct now on the iOS App Store and start shaping the future of campus life today.

For more information, visit www.connyct.com.

About Connyct

While other platforms keep users trapped in digital bubbles, Connyct is building bridges between online connection and real-life experience. Combining cutting-edge creative tools, licensed music, and privacy-first design, Connyct empowers the next generation to build authentic communities around shared passions and real-world moments.

Tech pioneers, media and social innovators, and finance industry veterans join forces to reinvent personalized social communities

NEW YORK, NY - (Nov. 4, 2024)  A coalition of digital pioneers and entertainment innovators have emerged from stealth mode to unveil Connyct, bringing together a team of proven innovators in viral platforms, music streaming, hit television, and scalable technology. The leadership team, which includes executives behind several of social media's defining moments, has spent two years in stealth building what represents the next evolution in digital connection. Backed by strategic investors, this dream team is targeting what they see as social media's biggest missed opportunity: personalized social communities for the next generation.

Connyct’s co-founder and CEO Matt Berman brings proven expertise in building viral platforms, having previously launched and scaled an early YouTube competitor to half a million monthly users with backing from advertising legend Martin Sorrell and WPP. Over the past 15 years, he's founded multiple successful digital media agencies, developing go-to-market strategies and ambassador programs for brands including Heineken, Fireball Whisky, and Delano Hotel.

Jonathan Blum, President and Chief Financial Officer, brings three decades of Wall Street experience and startup growth expertise to Connyct's executive team. The Harvard Business School graduate's strategic financial oversight has been crucial in securing key investments and developing Connyct's market expansion strategy. Blum's background in scaling high-growth companies provides Connyct with a strong financial and operational foundation.

Jared Neutel, Chief Technology Officer, brings extensive expertise in building and scaling technology platforms. As CEO of Neutech, he currently manages a team of 200 developers, demonstrating his ability to lead large-scale technical operations. Known for his expertise in AI-driven recommendation systems and real-time communication platforms, Neutel has built and scaled development teams at multiple successful startups. His technical leadership ensures Connyct's platform can deliver seamless experiences across online interaction and real-world event discovery, while his experience managing large engineering teams positions the company for rapid scaling.

Bill Campbell, Chief Music Officer, brings decades of music industry experience to Connyct's content strategy. As a pioneering figure in digital music licensing and strategy, Campbell played a pivotal role in TikTok's meteoric rise, helping secure crucial music industry partnerships during the platform's transformation from Musical.ly and expansion into the U.S. market. His deep expertise in navigating complex music licensing landscapes and building creator tools has already proved invaluable, as evidenced by Connyct's partnership with major and independent labels, publishers, and performing rights organizations, which will give users access to licensed commercial music for content creation.

Simmy Kustanowitz, Chief Marketing Officer, joins Connyct following his success as Executive Producer of TBS and truTV's cultural phenomenon "Impractical Jokers," which has garnered billions of views across social platforms. His deep understanding of viral content creation and youth culture has shaped Connyct's unique approach to user engagement. Kustanowitz's background in both traditional and digital entertainment brings valuable insight into how content drives community building and real-world connections.

Connyct is the brainchild of David Polinsky, Connyct's Chairman and co-founder. Polinsky stated, "We've spent two years assembling not just innovative technology, but an incredible  leadership team that understands what drives authentic engagement, what makes content spread, and most importantly – having a skillset to develop what is missing from today's digital experience." Polinsky embodies the intersection of innovation and strategic growth. After graduating from Fordham Law, Polinsky partnered with former NYC Mayor Ed Koch to pioneer legal tech with the founding of the first consumer focused online consumer site thelaw.com. Polinsky has since spent 25 years building a distinguished reputation as a founder, investor and executive across multiple industries, including breakthrough work in biotech focused on developing  treatments in oncology and for pediatric illnesses.

"Since the start, our mission has been simple: to craft a platform that sparks real connections while safeguarding what matters most—trust, privacy, and authenticity," says Berman, Connyct's CEO. "What sets us apart is our commitment to building an ecosystem where people connect through passion - where technology amplifies genuine human connection, where the things that matter in your physical life—your circles of friends, events, music—are at the heart of your social experience. We're not just building another app; we're creating a space where your digital world finally reflects and enhances your real one."

Together, this diverse leadership team ensures Connyct is well-equipped to bridge the gap between online interactions and real-life connections, empowering users to engage more meaningfully through unique features including the first video based Events Center for discovering local activities, group creation tools that foster community building, and a comprehensive creative toolkit. These features are built on a robust infrastructure designed to scale, with privacy and trust as core principles.

Connyct is now welcoming applications from college students across the U.S. to join its exclusive early access program. Selected early adopters will begin creating and sharing content on the platform ahead of the official launch in the coming weeks. Interested students can apply at connyct.com

About Connyct

While other platforms keep users trapped in digital bubbles, Connyct is building bridges between online connection and real-life experience. Combining cutting-edge creative tools, licensed music, and privacy-first design, Connyct empowers the next generation to build authentic communities around shared passions and real-world moments.

A partnership with Warner Music Group brings major label music clips to drive content creation at launch

What if social media could step beyond mere media consumption and instead create communities and bring people together? Linking online content with communities and real-world experiences, the new social app Connyct ‘connects’ real people with real passions, all powered by a proprietary platform integrating an extensive library of licensed music clips through a landmark partnership with Warner Music Group (WMG). 

Unlike traditional social networks, Connyct (pronounced kuh-nekt) meets the market demand for closer connections and streamlined community coordination. Launching exclusively to college students (.edu required), the app provides a digital space exclusive to students, where they can create and consume content, interact freely, plan adventures and parties together, discover and pursue their passions, and seamlessly blend online connection with real-world activities. 

Front and center of Connyct’s mobile short form platform technology is the innovative Events Center, powered by video, with an extensive library of licensed music clips. Hosting or going to a party? Make a video featuring your favorite song as you get ready and share it with your crew to get everyone hyped up for the night.

“We created Connyct to spark joy and excitement around real-life experiences, a digital reflection of your favorite times,” says CEO & Co-Founder Matthew Berman. “We’re all about connection and discovery, meant to help users find people who share the same passions and want to publicize events to enjoy them with their friends. Our partnership with WMG takes this vision to the next level, allowing students to soundtrack their college experiences with an incredible array of music.”

“Music is the heartbeat of the college experience, and Warner Music Group is committed to  ensuring that our artists’ music is available wherever their fans are,” explains Rachel Scarpati, Vice President of Digital Strategy & Business Development at Warner Music Group. ”Connyct has created an innovative platform that amplifies this connection, offering students a space to integrate music into their social lives. We're excited to see how this partnership will bring music and community together in a whole new way." 

“Connyct is more than just a playground for music-loving content creators,” adds David Polinsky, Chairman and Founder of Connyct. “Connyct is a purpose-built technology platform that champions user rights, safety, privacy, transparency and fosters authentic engagement. Connyct prioritizes giving users control over their content and visibility and never selling or sharing their personal data.”

Ian Gunther, an NCAA gymnastics champion and Stanford graduate, who is drumming up support with college students for Connyct’s launch added: “We know how important it is to have a space where you can be yourself without the pressure of external judgment. Connyct is that space.” 
Connyct will be available for download on the iOS App Store in the coming weeks, exclusively at select universities. Visit Connyct.com to sign up for the waitlist.

About Connyct
Connyct is revolutionizing social networking for the college generation by connecting people
to their passions. Unlike traditional social networks, Connyct addresses the craving for closer connections and streamlined community coordination by empowering students to create vibrant communities, discover events, and forge meaningful connections around shared interests and experiences.

Our comprehensive suite of tools includes an innovative Events Center, group creation capabilities, and a creative toolkit for video, messaging, and music content. With an extensive library of licensed music clips, Connyct enhances every aspect of the college social experience.

Connyct is the brainchild of seasoned tech and entertainment entrepreneurs. Right out of Fordham University School of Law in the late 90s, Connyct Co-Founder & Chairman David Polinsky started thelaw.com, the first consumer law site, along with partner and chairman (and former New York City mayor) Ed Koch. Mr. Polinksy has built a successful career as a founder, adviser, and investor across several industries. Meanwhile, Co-Founder & CEO Matthew Berman, who got his start in music production and founded an early competitor of YouTube, managed digital consumer marketing to grow massive brands like Fireball Whiskey, Heineken, and Hennessy.

About Warner Music Group
Warner Music Group (WMG) brings together artists, songwriters, entrepreneurs, and technology that are moving entertainment culture across the globe. Operating in more than 70 countries through a network of affiliates and licensees, WMG’s Recorded Music division includes renowned labels such as 10K Projects, 300 Entertainment, Asylum, Atlantic, Big Beat, Elektra, Erato, First Night, Fueled By Ramen, Nonesuch, Parlophone, Reprise, Rhino, Roadrunner, Sire, Spinnin’, Warner Records, Warner Classics, and Warner Music Nashville. WMG’s music publishing arm, Warner Chappell Music, has a catalog of over one million copyrights spanning every musical genre, from the standards of the Great American Songbook to the biggest hits of the 21st century. Warner Music Group is also home to ADA, which supports the independent community, as well as artist services division WMX. In addition, WMG counts film and television storytelling powerhouse Warner Music Entertainment among its many brands. Follow WMG on Instagram, X, TikTok, LinkedIn, and Facebook.