CircleMeUp

Our Story

Built by founders,
for founders.

We believe every entrepreneur deserves a circle — a tribe that lifts them up, keeps them accountable, and opens doors they didn't know existed. CircleMeUp is that circle, made digital.


Why We Exist

Entrepreneurship is lonely.
It shouldn't be.

Studies show over 60% of founders report feelings of isolation at some point in their journey. They're surrounded by employees, investors, and customers — yet fundamentally alone with the weight of building something from nothing.

CircleMeUp was born from that pain. We're creating the social infrastructure that founders actually need: curated circles, meaningful events, trusted contacts, and intelligent prompts to keep relationships alive.

"We're not building another social network. We're building the relationship operating system for the entrepreneurial generation."
— Team CircleMeUp

The Origin

A conversation in a Pune café

It started with a simple realisation: two founders sitting across from each other, both working on wildly different problems, both needing exactly what the other could offer — but with no easy way to have found one another without a lucky introduction at a random event.

We asked: why is it so hard to find your people? LinkedIn is too formal. WhatsApp groups are too noisy. Existing networking apps are too superficial. There was no tool designed specifically for the messy, trust-heavy, serendipity-driven world of early-stage founders.

So we built it. CircleMeUp is purpose-built for founders, with circles that mirror real relationships, events that create genuine connections, and intelligence that makes sure no important relationship goes cold.


50+ Early-access members
3+ Cities represented
2 Passionate team
Circles to be built

What Drives Us

Our Core Values

Every product decision, every feature, every conversation flows from these principles.

Community first

We build for the people, not the metrics. Every feature ships only if it genuinely helps founders connect better — not to inflate engagement numbers.

Trust & safety

Quality over quantity. We hand-verify every member so you know the person on the other side is a real founder, not a spammer or a bot.

Bias toward action

We ship fast, learn fast, and iterate ruthlessly. Being an early-stage team is our superpower — we move at founder speed, not enterprise speed.

Genuine care

We read every message. We reply to every email. Our founders are not tickets — they're the reason we exist, and we treat them that way.

Radical transparency

We share our progress, our setbacks, and our roadmap openly. Building in public keeps us honest and lets our community shape the product with us.

Local roots, global reach

We started in India because we believe the next wave of world-class founders is here. But a great circle knows no border — our vision is always global.


The People

Meet the Team

Small team. Big ambition. Deeply in love with the problem.

RK
Founder & CEO

Rishikesh Karanjkar

Founder. Obsessed with community, events, CRMs, and Indian startup ecosystems. Runs the product and vision.

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CTO

This could be you!

We're a small, scrappy team always looking for passionate contributors. Reach out if you want to build with us.

Get in Touch
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Head of Marketing

This could be you!

We're a small, scrappy team always looking for passionate contributors. Reach out if you want to build with us.

Get in Touch
?
Your Role Here

This could be you!

We're a small, scrappy team always looking for passionate contributors. Reach out if you want to build with us.

Get in Touch

Our Journey

From idea to early access

We're early, but we're moving fast. Here's the honest story of how we got here and where we're heading next.

Q4 2025

The Idea

Two founders meet in Pune, realise the gap in founder-to-founder networking tools, and start sketching the first version on a notebook.

Q1 2026

First Lines of Code

The core platform is scaffolded. First user interviews with 20+ founders across Pune and Bangalore validate the core problem. Early design concepts shared publicly.

Q2 2026 — Now

Alpha Access Opens

First 50 members onboarded by hand. Circles, contacts, and basic event features go live. Real feedback reshapes the product roadmap completely.

Q3 2026 — Coming

Early Access Opens

The public waitlist is live. We're onboarding founders in batches, refining the discover experience, and building towards the full platform launch.

Q4 2026 — Coming

Full Public Launch

AI-powered relationship intelligence, mobile apps, and an open discover marketplace for events, circles, and places. Nationwide rollout begins.


Questions

Frequently Asked

Who is CircleMeUp for?
CircleMeUp is built specifically for founders, entrepreneurs, and indie hackers — people who are building something from scratch and need a trusted network around them. If you're an investor, angel, or operator who closely works with early-stage startups, you're welcome too.
Is CircleMeUp free to use?
We have a free tier that gives you access to core features. Premium plans unlock advanced circles, AI-powered suggestions, and priority support. Check out our Pricing page for full details.
How do you verify members?
Every member goes through a lightweight manual review before being approved. We check public profiles, work history, and relevant signals to ensure the community stays high-quality and founder-focused. No bots, no spammers.
Where is CircleMeUp available?
We started in India — currently active in Pune, Bangalore, and Mumbai — but the platform is available globally online. In-person events and place check-ins are city-specific for now; we'll expand as the community grows.
How can I contribute or collaborate?
We love collaborations — whether you want to host an event, write content, build a feature, or just share feedback. Reach out via our Contact page and we'll get back to you quickly.

Join the Mission

Your circle is waiting.

We're onboarding founders, entrepreneurs, and indie hackers in early access batches.
Be one of the first to experience what a founder-first network really feels like.