Corner by Eliza Wu and Jake Xia

Eliza Wu and Jake Xia co-founded Corner in 2022, a social mapping app made for Gen Z. What makes their work exemplary is the way they build discovery around real people’s tastes rather than generic data or ratings. Corner doesn’t find listings from the internet, but instead, it lets its community add places themselves, so every entry is like a genuine local experience.

They are driven by the idea that finding new restaurants, shops, or hang-out spots should be about real recommendations. They believe young people want a map that feels personal, expressive, and rooted in human stories. Their vision is built on using social content (Instagram, TikTok) and user-generated info, plus newer tools like AI-powered semantic search, to surface the kind of places people actually care about. The idea is strong because it aligns with how Gen Z already gets inspiration: through feeds, visuals, mood, and community. Corner checks all those boxes with making curated lists, descriptive tags, style, and integration with social media. As entrepreneurs, Eliza Wu and Jake Xia show persistence, audience empathy, creativity, and willingness to go against standard advice for something more grounded. They’ve raised about $3.75-3.8 million, grown to thousands of users in hundreds of cities, and continue experimenting with features and events.

What inspires me most is their focus on solving a problem they understand personally, creating something that feels more alive and human. It challenges me to think about products not just as technical objects, but as experiences shaped by community, culture, and identity.