The Journey
The Path Here
The story behind TrekMeetHi, I’m Manish.
By day, I work in software. But I have always admired the healing power of nature — and I believe a quiet walk is the best way to reset a busy mind.
For the past six years, I have had the privilege of founding and running OZ Outdoors, a Sydney hiking community that has grown to over 3,000 members. After personally leading 450+ hikes, I learned one thing: I love the trail. Getting there hasn’t always been easy.
For a long time I tried to fix it rather than replace it. I wrote to support, raised tickets, and reported the same bugs more than once — often they wouldn’t be accepted as bugs at all. Meanwhile a single Saturday walk took a listing site, a maps app, a group chat and a trail app to run, and none of them knew about the others. Eventually it was less work to build the thing than to keep asking someone else to fix it.
The name came before any code. In June 2025 I asked friends, family and colleagues what to call it, and TrekMeet was the one everyone kept returning to.
The first beta was built on an eight-year-old Windows laptop. I didn’t own a Mac.
The Return to Simplicity
I built TrekMeet to silence that chaos.
It unifies discovery, safety, offline maps, and community into one purpose‑built space. We handle the logistics so you can put your phone away and actually connect with nature.
This is the tool I always wished I had. Now, it’s yours.
Built Different
TrekMeet went from the first line of code in October 2025 to live on both platforms in eight months. It was built entirely by a solo founder — a product manager by trade — working with an AI agent team. No engineering hires. No outside funding. Every feature shipped through a disciplined, structured process. The app is the product. The way it was built is the proof.
Join me on a walk:
I’m out there outdoors almost every week. If you’re in Sydney, come say hello on a weekend hike with OZ Outdoors or an evening stroll with the Evening Walking Group.
The Trail Ahead
Status: Closed Beta Round 2 — Android by invite · iPhone open on TestFlight
What’s live today and what comes next stays current on the roadmap.
Phase 1: Base Camp
Jun – Dec 2025Research, the blueprint, the roadmap and monetisation ran June to September 2025, before a line of code was written. Late 2025 built the foundation.
- Identity: TrekMeet brand and trademark secured.
- The Blueprint: Privacy-first, local-first architecture.
- Visuals: Crafted a quiet, unhurried interface.
- The Tribe: Assembled our core feedback group.
Phase 2: The Ascent
Completed Q1 2026The first beta went live on Google Play in March 2026 — invite-only, founding members only.
- Closed Beta R1: Live on Google Play (March 2026).
- Offline Maps: 35 founder-walked NSW trails, fully vector, no internet needed.
- Safety tools: one-tap SOS, Live Trek GPS, emergency contacts.
- Solo Mode: Plan a personal trek, upload a GPX route, share with friends.
Phase 3: Closed Beta — Round 2
Active NOW · Q3 2026The social layer launched to both stores in June. A wider trusted cohort is putting it through real-world weekends.
- Round 2 launch: live on Google Play, open on iPhone via TestFlight — with direct messages, Journey stats, and share links.
- Connections + Trail Bonds: Mutual-consent social state machine.
- Group Chat: Auto-created on event publish, deep-linked notifications.
- Notification Center: 6 categories, smart inbox, push notifications.
- Smart Discovery: Filter by vibe, pace, weekend, and more.
Phase 4: The Summit
Target 2026Opening the trail to all. The full TrekMeet experience lands on both App Stores.
- Public Launch: iOS & Android, Australia-wide.
- A growing trail library: community-submitted trails with quality checks.
- AI Planner: Scout routes, estimate difficulty, draft events in seconds.
- Welcome Home: Frictionless migration for existing organisers.