Anonymous social app Fizz officially launched in Saudi Arabia in mid-March, triggering an immediate frenzy in the local market. According to founder and CEO Teddy Solomon, the app hit the number one spot on the overall App Store charts within 48 hours of its debut, with users already exchanging more than a million messages.
Fizz was founded by Solomon and co-founder Ashton Cofer at Stanford University in 2022. After securing $40 million in funding and expanding to 700 college campuses across the U.S., the company is now looking to move beyond campus-exclusive social networking by leveraging its "Fizz Feed" feature to reach broader communities. The Saudi market serves as its first international test bed, and the app currently ranks first in the News category on the Saudi App Store.
"Our goal has always been to build a cross-generational social product, rather than one limited to college campuses," Solomon said. "Now, we are finally putting that into practice."
Previously, Fizz had not publicly disclosed its international expansion plans. Solomon recalled that he first sensed the potential of the Middle Eastern market while attending a conference in Dubai. Subsequently, Fizz market analyst Michael Fonseca was dispatched to Saudi Arabia to build local connections and conduct in-depth cultural research, paving the way for the launch.
Expanding the Middle Eastern Social Frontier
Reflecting on the app's performance in Saudi Arabia, Solomon noted that the local social landscape is undergoing a significant transformation. "Mike was welcomed with open arms there," Solomon said. "I think Saudi Arabia has changed dramatically in recent years. The business environment is booming, and the social scene is incredibly vibrant. Apps like Snapchat, WhatsApp, and TikTok are exceptionally popular there."
This expansion aligns with the Saudi government’s "Vision 2030" initiative. Since Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman introduced the plan in 2016, Saudi Arabia has been committed to a series of reforms aimed at enhancing the country's international profile and driving socio-economic diversification.
