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 400+ hikes, I learned one thing: I love the trail. Getting there hasn’t always been easy.
The Digital Struggle
To find or organise a single walk, we juggled a chaotic mix of generic apps — Meetup for the event, WhatsApp for the chat, bank apps for petrol or gratuity transfers, AllTrails for the route. It was noisy, disjointed, and stressful.
1. Built for Parties, Not Peaks
Generic social platforms ignore the realities of the outdoors. They aren’t designed for elevation, terrain, or route planning.
2. More Admin, Less Trail Time
Instead of scouting routes, leaders are stuck posting event details, chasing gratuities, and copy-pasting map links. It turns passion into paperwork.
3. The Safety Gap
When live locations, emergency contacts, and itineraries are scattered across three different apps, vital information falls through the cracks.
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 zero to a live Google Play beta in under three months — built entirely by a solo, non-technical founder 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 — Invite-Only 🏕️
Phase 1: Base Camp
Completed Q4 2025We spent late 2025 packing the gear, studying the maps, and building 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: 30 founder-walked NSW trails, fully vector, no internet needed.
- Safety First: 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 · Q2 2026The social backbone is live. We’re inviting a wider trusted cohort to put it through real-world weekends.
- 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.
- 100+ Curated Trails: Founder-walked + community-submitted.
- AI Planner: Scout routes, estimate difficulty, draft events in seconds.
- Welcome Home: Frictionless migration for existing organisers.
Phase 5: Beyond the Horizon
2026+Pushing further into the wild — wearables, international reach, and deeper partnerships.
- Wearables: Apple Watch & Garmin notifications.
- International: Geography-anchored expansion beyond Australia.
- Coastal Intelligence: Tides, moon, surf conditions.
- Eco-Partnerships: Protecting the trails we walk.