Playce

Mission

To help people rediscover the world as their playground.

The challenge

We live in a time where we are more connected than ever, yet many people, especially those new to a city, feel deeply alone. International students arrive somewhere new full of curiosity but without the social roots to act on it. They want to explore, try new things, and meet people nearby, but taking that first step feels awkward or overwhelming. There is a growing need for simple, low-pressure ways to get off your phone and into the world around you.

The solution

Playce is an app that helps you find small, real-world activities happening near you. Things like morning runs, sketching in the park, casual coffee, or hobby swaps. You can join something someone else posted, or put something out yourself and see who’s up for it. Everything is local, low-pressure, and offline once you’re out the door. No feeds, no algorithms. Playce also works with student associations and housing organisations to bring community events into the same place, so you never have to look in five different spots.