The Peek app, which a Neeley School of Business senior launched in May 2023, allows users to see the social media handles of other users within 75 feet of them.
Macy Mangum, a senior, said her experience as a transfer student inspired her to create the app.
“I didn’t get the first-year experience and found it hard to get plugged in and find like-minded friends,” Mangum said.
She said she hopes Peek will help other students in a similar situation.
The app allows users to connect with each other on Instagram, Snapchat, TikTok, Twitter, LinkedIn and Facebook.
“I think it’s a great idea, and it will fit in as another social media app for all ages,” TCU junior finance major and one of the app’s users, Ellie Ogden, said. “It’s very beneficial in terms of meeting people.”
Mangum has found success in utilizing social media to promote Peek. A TikTok video shared on the app’s official account recently went viral, garnering 3.5 million views and 290,ooo likes. The video resulted in 18,000 app downloads.
@peektheapp Try that in a small town? #smalltown #girls #boys #peek #socialmedia #app #dating #college #find #people ♬ Try That In A Small Town – Jason Aldean
She received support from TCU through the Create Competition, a cross-campus accelerator program that funded her trip to Los Angeles, where she networked and met potential investors over the summer.
“I’ve always had an entrepreneurial mindset, from lemonade stands to a hair bow business in childhood, and on to making a company in college,” Mangum said.
She said Neeley boosted her confidence and gave her the tools necessary to embark on this venture.
“When I started at TCU, I was super quiet. Now I have a whole company,” she said. “I hope that my story can inspire students that may be quieter, that they can do whatever they put their mind to.”
Mangum’s goal is to expand the app’s presence from one college to another, fostering meaningful connections among students along the way.
