Driven to defeat loneliness. How the Ukrainian startup Quests Inc. was created
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In our recurring Who Are These People segment, Vector offers founders the opportunity to discuss their projects, covering aspects such as their products, marketing strategies, monetisation, investments, and business plans. The focus this time is on Quests Inc, a Ukrainian startup. Their mobile app connects individuals by creating and discovering events (quests) tailored to their shared interests.
Editor-in-chief Yuliia Tkach interviewed Quest Inc co-founder Olha Kotseba about the product’s features, promotion, investments, and plans.
Conception
Quests Inc has two co-founders:
- Olha Kotseba, CPO. An accomplished product designer with over ten years of industry experience; and
- Ivan Molchanov. A co-founder of Archinarium design studio and the development company Stolitsa Group.
The two founders met for the first time in 2021. Olha was then working for Investing.com, a fintech company. «This idea really resonated with me, as I had been researching human behaviour through the lenses of psychology, neurobiology, anthropology, and sociology for all my life. I realized that social tech is my field of expertise, so I initiated a strategy to transform the idea into a lovable product valued by users.
This solution was intended to bridge the gap between those looking to establish real-life connections that are more than just virtual communication, and those looking to share life experiences and activities.
In an era where social media prioritises virtual connections, often leading to feelings of isolation, our application was designed as a platform that motivates people to venture beyond their comfort zones and discover new friends, partners, or even like-minded people for projects».
By that time, Ivan Molchanov had already invested into the idea of Quests Inc. The development team has been working on a Flutter-based MVP since 2019. In 2020, after a few initial tests with friends, the team halted development because of the COVID-19 pandemic. They picked up the project the following year. «We launched a comprehensive rebranding and audit of the app in 2022, assessed the available options, outlined the key tasks for the MVP, and developed a strategy for entering the Ukrainian market».
The app was officially launched in November 2023. The co-founders’ friends were among its first users. They are identified as «the closest community: artists we know, and everyone we met along the way, from street musicians to yoga instructors».
Currently, the core in-house team includes about ten experts: developers, testers, a designer, as well as a product and project manager. They also hire an outsourced marketing specialist. They are partnering with PR and SMM agencies «to enhance communication with the target audience and boost brand awareness». They are seeking a CMO who can help develop and execute a comprehensive marketing strategy».
Product and audience
Quests Inc is a mobile app designed to help users create and discover events (quests) that bring together individuals with shared interests. Examples might include a tea party, a picnic, a visit to an art exhibition, a master class, a stroll, or a hike in the mountains. According to the founders, the primary objective is «to foster meaningful connections through offline activities and shared experiences».
The founders note that the app now has over 3,000 registered users and more than 300 unique creators who have developed around 1,000 quests over the past year.
The “Moie Kolo (My Circle)” update was launched in January 2025. This feature enables users to share suggested activities in a dedicated feed accessible only to their friend group. Those on this list can express their support for ideas by “liking” or chatting about the details, and vote on critical aspects such as location or time. The creator of the most popular ideas needs to validate the final details and send invitations to interested participants.
Olha explains: «This mechanism mimics the way in which relationships are built in real life. This means that you don’t have to personally reach out to each person, ask about their interests, or send invitations. We often find that we are unaware of all the interests of our circle of friends, and this can be an obstacle to planning activities together. Many individuals limit their interactions to their closest friends or even discard their ideas completely, fearing the overwhelming task of managing the entire organisation».
Quests Inc’s target audience includes those experiencing loneliness, irrespective of their age or background: «Research indicates that loneliness raises the risk of premature death by 25% and has health effects comparable to smoking ten cigarettes per day. Ongoing stress resulting from insufficient social connections negatively impacts both mental and physical health. This problem is notably more intense among younger generations, and often serves as a trigger for depression.
Evidence suggests that roughly 20% of adults in Europe have just one close friend or none at all.
Our product is designed for people looking to redefine or expand their social relationships. Interviews with individuals across all age groups revealed that a longing to connect is a shared human need. Many people aspire to discover others with similar outlooks, participate in community activities, or establish their own groups. Though needs vary by age and region, the key goal is to address social isolation».
Business model and marketing strategy
Quests Inc operates on a B2C model. Starting in 2025, they introduced a freemium subscription model that offers basic features along with both free and paid premium options.
- Basic level (free). This option allows users to organise and engage in social activities like quests. It also includes basic features to facilitate social connections.
- Additional freemium features will include AI-powered tools for personalising activities, customisable circles, advanced analytics for creators, entry to exclusive events, and more options for creating quests.
The premium subscription is available to users in Ukraine starting at $5. In Europe and the US, prices start at $10.
«Our marketing strategy is undergoing transformation. Throughout the past year, we have been focused on engaging creators, as we operate more as a marketplace. Creators were contacted directly by the sales teams, while users were reached through targeted Instagram ads. However, we acknowledged that this strategy is not sustainable in the long-term. We are in the process of reorganising our operations to adopt a more comprehensive approach.
The cost-per-click remains low. This demonstrates the efficiency of the Ukrainian market. At the same time, we are aware that competition will be higher in international markets», — Olha remarks.
Investments
The startup was launched and initially developed using Ivan Molchanov’s personal funds, though the exact amount remains undisclosed. According to Olha, investments were raised to $1 million by the end of 2024, but she did not say from where.
Plans
«Our goal is to develop a robust offline social platform that connects users, creators, and emerging businesses. Our product focuses on bringing people together based on shared interests, enabling them to form and sustain offline social connections while broadening their communication networks. This will allow us to create a comprehensive ecosystem that supports all participants.
In the near future, they have plans to:
- Roll out the platform for the European market, starting with Poland. There are vibrant Ukrainian communities in the area that can support and assist us in seamlessly integrating with the local culture. In this stage, we will test the product, collect user feedback, and assess our product-market fit hypotheses.
- If the results in Poland are encouraging, the following stage will be to expand into other European countries and the United States. «We view the American market as a strategic opportunity for scaling our platform», — summarises Olha.
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