A social networking app for bars and restaurants.

We’ve all heard of taking photos of your drinks and posting it on Instagram. But what about about an app that’s specific to food? One that allows consumers to find, try, and rate drinks from local bars and restaurants?

NUP is just that.

Ignacio Poncio, along with four of his childhood friends, started NUP after a similar business model become popular in their home country of Argentina. The idea is to create a community surrounding local bars and restaurants by allowing consumers to seek out and try drinks all over the area.

The app runs on a membership model. NUP members will be able to pull up the app in participating restaurants and bars that will give them a free drink to try. Upon trying the drink, they can post a rating or review, allowing their friends and other community members to seek out their perfect drink.

Not only does this create a sense of local community, but it also provides marketing opportunities for participating locations. The app will include a map and list of local restaurants and bars alongside their local ratings.

Ignacio and his team are in the early phases of rolling out the app. NUP is already developed, and they’re working on launching in northeast Indiana before moving on to the Indianapolis and Chicago markets by 2022.

Eventually, they hope to see NUP in 4 major cities in the U.S.: New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, and Miami.

Ignacio and the team plan to use their $500 Grant from the Fortitude Fund to translate and market the app.