Fizz

Fizz is a mobile social application that hosts community-scoped discussion and news feeds for Gen Z users, organized around either a user's college or their nearby geographic community. Users can post text, images, video, memes, GIFs and polls, comment, direct message other users, and choose per-post whether to appear under a handle or anonymously. Beyond a user's own community, a "For You" feed surfaces content from other communities nationally, with recommendations that users can personalize. The app also includes a peer-to-peer Fizz Marketplace for buying and selling items such as clothing, electronics, textbooks and cars within a verified community.

College communities are closed: access requires a valid university email on the school's .edu domain or other proof of enrollment. Fizz states it is not affiliated with any school or institution and that schools cannot access user activity absent legal process such as a subpoena or preservation request. The company says it does not sell personal information to third parties and that user phone numbers and email addresses are not visible to other users, including moderators. The iOS listing is published by Fizz Social Corp. and the app is rated 18+ and free with in-app purchases.

Note on naming: several public sources describe a separate, unrelated New York fintech company also called Fizz (a credit-building debit card for Gen Z college students, founded by Carlo Kobe and Scott Smith). Those sources are excluded from this profile; one of them explicitly distinguishes the fintech from "another startup with the same name that is a social network for college students."

Founding story

According to the company's FAQ, Fizz was originally created by two Stanford University students and has since grown into a larger team of professionals. The FAQ does not name the founders or give a founding date.

Business model

Fizz is free to users and monetizes through brand partnerships rather than user fees. The company states it deliberately limits the number of advertisers to keep ad load low, that all paid placements are labeled as sponsored, that advertisers are vetted before running and are subject to the same community guidelines as users, and that brands cannot target individual users or access user personal information.

Advertising and brand partnerships: native in-feed posts, sponsored polls, front-door takeovers, push notifications, on-campus activations, and off-platform user-generated content produced for brands to use on other social channels. The iOS listing also indicates in-app purchases.

Traction

Company-stated availability at 750+ US college campuses and more than 8,000 trained student moderators across the platform. The iOS App Store listing shows a 4.7 average rating from approximately 18,000 ratings and a #5 position in the News chart.

Latest developments

Current company materials state availability at 750+ campuses, more than 8,000 student moderators, and an expanded advertising offering that includes off-platform UGC and on-campus activations, alongside an advertiser FAQ covering formats, targeting, measurement and brand safety.