Explorz, the app that lets you win gifts while you walk around

© Explorz

The concept is simple but effective. And it is made in France. The Explorz app lets you earn rewards when you go out for a walk, turning any place into a vast playground.

Walk and be rewarded

How to use technology to reconnect people to the real world, instead of gluing them to their screens ? This is the question that Alexandre Pages, co-founder and CEO of Explorz, asked himself as he emerged from the pandemic. ” I've been a fan of video games since I was little. I started coding when I was 13 on Counter-Strike, on Minecraft. After that, I made it my job. A few years ago, I wondered if it was possible to create a video game or an app that would encourage people to get out of their homes instead of scrolling on TikTok all day ,” he recalls, in an interview with Presse-citron.

Another activity that the young entrepreneur has loved since childhood: treasure hunting. Explorz stands out as a summary of all these elements. The application is based on an interactive map, like Pokémon Go, which covers the entire French territory. Even the countryside and remote areas (provided you have Internet access)!

” Your phone geolocates you. Then, you will see lots of chests appear around you. They are more or less rare, classified by theme, and you have to go and find them “, summarizes the manager. Once a chest is recovered, it is possible to open it directly or keep it in your backpack. As a key, users can access rewards from partnerships between Explorz and brands.

« We work, for example, with Nike or LEGO. These brands provide us with lots or we do affiliation, with promo codes or similar offers ”, explains Alexandre Pages. In addition to a premium subscription that unlocks more features, these partnerships allow Explorz to earn money. “ When you go to pick up a chest physically, the experience with the brand is quite advanced, much more than with a simple ad on social networks or in the metro ”, he analyzes.

© Explorz

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Desires from elsewhere

The application also aims to strengthen social ties. With this in mind, it is suitable for all ages, both for young people, parents wishing to play with their children and for older people. And the rewards are designed accordingly. For example, in the summer of 2024, the company established a partnership with the GIGN for the organization's fiftieth anniversary, allowing all French people to go in search of the 50,000 chests scattered across the territory.

This is a paid formula. Launched in early 2023, Explorz has more than 250,000 users worldwide, and it does not intend to stop there. Already present in Spain, Germany, Switzerland and Belgium in addition to France, the platform wants to conquer new countries like the United States or Australia.

All this obviously requires significant technical capabilities. And the young company does not lack them, it has even developed its own artificial intelligence and geolocation algorithms, which remain unchanged depending on the region of the world. ” Our priority was to preserve the battery, because many geolocation applications can drain it in a few minutes. We have done a lot of optimization “, the CEO explains.

The other algorithm analyzes everything around the user, and generates secure game points. ” We're not going to send you into the middle of the sea ”, he jokes. In this way, Explorz offers tailor-made courses, designed according to where you are and what you like. In terms of data protection, the startup says it complies with the GDPR; players’ information is encrypted and stored in France.

© Explorz

Getting more inspiration from video games

The entrepreneur is not short of ideas. It must be said that he has managed to build up a robust experience; at the age of 19, he joined the founding team of the Station F campus , where he spent six years as technical director. ” A lot of entrepreneurs have come through Station F. I think that inspired me a lot, even unconsciously, like working with Xavier Niel because he was very involved in the project ,” he recalls.

In addition to wanting to conquer other regions of the world, Explorz intends to draw inspiration from iconic video games like Fortnite. “We want to introduce games at the moment T on the weekend. It would make a little more sense to have 500, or even 1,000 people meet up and participate,” explains Alexandre Pages. The goal is to bring people together physically, drawing ever more inspiration from the world of video games.

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