a16z-Backed ‘Towns’ Sets a New Standard for Digital Communication with the Launch of OnChain Platform

[PRESS RELEASE – New York, New York, October 15th, 2024]

Powered by the River Protocol, Towns addresses the growing concerns of traditional social platforms, introducing a new decentralized, encrypted, and user-owned communication app.

Today Towns, founded by the founder of breakout experiences Houseparty and Meerkat, announced the public debut of an onchain messaging platform designed for digital communities to connect in secure and decentralized spaces. Built on the River Protocol, Towns enables permissionless group chats where anyone can create, own, and manage their communities, offering features like decentralized ownership, end-to-end encryption (E2EE), and a reputation system that prioritizes user privacy. The platform is backed by lead web3 investors like a16z, Benchmark and Framework, raising $25.5M in their Series A.

As traditional messaging platforms face growing criticism over privacy violations and censorship, there’s a clear call to action for improved communication alternatives. The Towns platform unlocks a new solution by giving users full ownership and control of their data, creating community-owned digital spaces where conversations are secure, transparent, and free from outside interference. The platform brings the features of speed and familiarity of web2 messaging platforms onchain, empowering communities to thrive in a space that protects both privacy and autonomy.

“When I built Meerkat and Houseparty, it was clear that online communities are the backbone of the internet and a key part of our culture,” said Ben Rubin, Co-Founder and CEO of Towns. “As traditional social platforms grow, so do their shortcomings, creating friction for users. Today, the current tools designed for web3 communication are not optimized to provide intuitive and user-friendly experiences. With Towns, our goal is to make the internet more intimate without making it smaller, fostering a sense of trust and connection between users by offering a decentralized platform where privacy and open communication are at the core.”

Towns offers a range of innovative features that set it apart from traditional communication platforms. Features include:

• Each “Town” exists as a decentralized entity, with membership and ownership minted onchain, giving users ownership and control over their communities, including the ability to transfer value across the ecosystem.
• All conversations within Towns exist as permissionless group chats and ensure all communications within the platform are secure and private.
• Users can create programmable groups with specific pricing, gating, and rewards enabling new ways to engage with members.
• A new look at web3 incentives. Towns combines the familiarity of web2 messaging with web3 incentives like reputation systems and composability with the broader web3 ecosystem.

With trust and community building at the forefront of Towns, early adopters include RefractionDAO, a web3 artist-owned community at the forefront of digital art, music, and culture.

For more information on Towns and to learn how to build a community, users can visit towns.com.

About Towns

Founded by Ben Rubin, former founder of viral app sensations, Houseparty and Meerkat, Towns is an onchain messaging platform built on open-source protocol, River. Towns offers new communication models that empower online communities with programmable, self-governed and ownable spaces, fostering authentic and meaningful interactions. With a commitment to shaping the future of digital connectivity, Towns is supported by significant investment, including a $25.5 million Series A funding from notable firms like a16z crypto, Benchmark, and Framework.