Weave Uses the Uber API to Help Bring Professionals Face to Face

January 26, 2015 / Global

Usually when you think of apps that bring two complete strangers together, the first thing that comes to mind are matchmaking apps. By simply swiping left or right, you could be matched with a complete stranger who may be also be interested in you.

But what about in a professional setting? Wouldn’t it be nice if there was a way to expand your professional network by using the same ideology? Weave, a Y Combinator startup based out of San Francisco, uses a similar format to provide an easy solution for professionals to network. Once a user’s LinkedIn account is connected to Weave, they’re able to swipe left or right to indicate their interest in learning more about each professional presented to them on screen. If both parties swipe right, the two are matched and the networking magic begins.

But as with many of these matchmaking apps, Weave users who have set up a time to meet in-person often face a similar pain point: How do I get there?

“We’re super excited to integrate Uber, to make it even easier for our users to get to each other. We know they’re already grabbing an Uber to get to their scheduled meetings, now they can do it directly in our app.”

—Brian Ma, Founder & CEO at Weave

Uber bridges your networking experience

Weave’s integration with Uber is designed to create a better user experience for their customers by using Uber’s API. When you think about perfecting an apps’ user experience, understanding where the gaps lie within the customer journey is key. Using Uber’s API, Weave was able to provide an on-demand solution for their customers to get from digital swipe to in-person meet-up, enabling both parties to efficiently get to their meetup locations.

It works like this: Once an address is entered in the app, the app will automatically recognize that this is most likely the meetup location, and the option to take an Uber will automatically appear. If users decide to take an Uber to the meetup, an action sheet will appear and they will have the choice to select from the variety of services that Uber has to offer.

The team also created an even easier way to integrate Uber into the product. By clicking the toggle button on the top right, a menu will appear, and you can select to take an Uber to your desired location right from that screen.

We also know that time is precious when it comes to moving fast within a company. So what did the team think about the Uber API and the effort needed to integrate with us?

“We’ve integrated a lot of APIs before, and the Uber one has definitely got to be the easiest one yet.”

—Joe Newbry, Mobile Engineer at Weave

New riders get a free ride (up to $20)

Want a free ride from Uber? If you haven’t tried out Uber yet, Weave will be giving out free rides (up to $20) to anyone who is new to Uber. All you have to do is access Uber through Weave and you’re on your way!