TL;DR
Fizz has grown from a pandemic-era group chat gripe into a leading social app on U.S. college campuses by emphasizing everyday life rather than curated highlights. Its hybrid anonymous design and campus-focused approach, CEO Teddy Solomon says, respond to Gen Z fatigue with performance-driven feeds.
What happened
At TechCrunch Disrupt 2025, Fizz co‑founder and CEO Teddy Solomon described how the app evolved from a pandemic-era group chat frustration into a campus-centered social network. Solomon argues that many Gen Z users are tired of performing for public feeds on platforms like Instagram and TikTok, and that Fizz’s product deliberately foregrounds ordinary, everyday moments — the “99% of life” that doesn’t make a highlight reel. The app combines anonymous interactions with a hyperlocal, campus-first structure. TechCrunch’s Equity team, including a conversation led by Dominic‑Madori Davis and audio production by Theresa Loconsolo, featured Solomon discussing why anonymity and locality can change social dynamics on college campuses. Solomon characterized Fizz as a major player in the college social space, comparing its footprint to the early influence of Facebook.
Why it matters
- Signals a shift in youth preferences away from polished, performative social feeds toward more candid, everyday sharing.
- Hybrid anonymity paired with local community focus may alter how peer interaction and social discovery operate on campuses.
- If sustained, Fizz’s campus traction could reshape the competitive landscape for apps targeting college demographics.
- The model raises questions for content moderation, safety and platform governance in anonymous or semi‑anonymous communities.
Key facts
- Fizz began from frustrations with group chats during the pandemic.
- The app targets college campuses across the United States and emphasizes local communities.
- Fizz focuses on everyday moments rather than curated highlight reels, framed as "the 99% of life" not typically shared elsewhere.
- The product uses a hybrid anonymous model coupled with hyperlocal features.
- Teddy Solomon is the co‑founder and CEO of Fizz.
- Solomon called Fizz "the biggest college social app since Facebook," according to his remarks at Disrupt.
- TechCrunch’s Equity team hosted the conversation; Dominic‑Madori Davis led the interview at Disrupt 2025.
- The Disrupt segment and related Equity coverage are available across platforms including YouTube, Apple Podcasts, Overcast and Spotify.
What to watch next
- not confirmed in the source — whether Fizz will expand beyond U.S. college campuses into broader demographics or geographies
- not confirmed in the source — how Fizz plans to monetize the product and its impact on user experience
- not confirmed in the source — specific moderation and safety measures the app uses to manage anonymous interactions
Quick glossary
- Anonymous social: A style of social networking where users can post or interact without attaching their persistent identity to every message.
- Hyperlocal: A focus on very small geographic communities — for example, a college campus or neighborhood — rather than broad, global audiences.
- Highlight reel: Curated or edited content that showcases selective, often idealized moments from a person’s life, commonly found on mainstream social platforms.
- Group chat: A messaging thread shared among a limited set of participants, often used for close‑knit conversations among friends or colleagues.
Reader FAQ
What is Fizz?
Fizz is a campus‑focused social app that emphasizes everyday moments and combines anonymous interactions with local community features.
Who leads Fizz?
Teddy Solomon is the co‑founder and CEO of Fizz, as noted during his Disrupt 2025 interview.
Is Fizz fully anonymous?
Fizz uses a hybrid anonymous model, meaning anonymity is a central design element but the platform blends anonymous features with other structures.
How many users or how much funding does Fizz have?
not confirmed in the source
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Sources
- Fizz social app’s CEO on why anon works
- Fizz CEO on why anonymous social is winning with Gen Z
- Inside Fizz: How Teddy Solomon Built Gen Z's Favorite …
- Gen Z's Underground Social Network Just Went National …
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