It's the networking nightmare that risks ruining a new relationship.
But the faux pas of forgetting your business card will be eliminated and the needle-in-a-haystack search for someone's contact details unnecessary thanks to a new electronic business card app from a Brisbane-based start-up.
The Haystack app - which promises business cards, without the paper - stores and automatically updates the business cards you receive, and lets you share your own business card directly from your phone.
Based at QUT Creative Enterprise Australia's (CEA) co-share working space, The Coterie, in the Kelvin Grove Creative Industries Precinct, Haystack believe the app takes Brisbane one step closer to becoming a paperless city.
Haystack Co-founder and CEO Ran Heimann, who has two degrees from QUT and employs four full-time QUT graduates in the team of six, said there had been nearly 100 failed attempts to replace paper business cards from companies including tech giants Google and LinkedIn.
"The Haystack app is the only app that is truly universal, auto updating and completely free to use," Mr Heimann, whose start-up won the $10,000 crowd vote at the 2014 qutbluebox Innovation Challenge, said.
"Unlike previous efforts, you don't need to have the same app, or the same phone, as the person you're sharing your card with.
"Haystack will work with anyone, for anyone, on any internet connected device and will make your business card look better than the original, with more functionality than your old paper card could ever deliver.
"It is also auto-updating, thanks to a custom learning algorithm that constantly searches for more accurate information, deciphering social and relational data to work out the old from the new, to ensure your contacts are always up-to-date."
QUT Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Corporate Programs and Partnerships) Professor Peter Little said QUT had joined PricewaterhouseCoopers, Brisbane City Council and Brisbane Marketing in expressing interest in rolling the technology out across the university.
"I encourage all staff to download the Haystack app and be among the first to experience what could be the 21st century's global replacement for the paper business card," he said.
"QUT is passionate about encouraging and fostering creative ideas and helping turn those ideas into innovative, successful businesses."
Mr Heimann, who worked as a management consultant for six years before founding the company with his two brothers, said Haystack had resisted advances from international investors and would launch the app in Brisbane.
"We live in Brisbane, this is our home, and we want to see the next big global app come out of here," Mr Heimann said.
"Everyone says that to be a global app, you need an American college campus environment like at Stanford and Harvard - Facebook, Google, Tinder, all came out of campuses.
"Brisbane will be Haystack's college campus. The CBD is highly networked - everyone knows everyone - and it's around a similar size geographically; the perfect Australian equivalent.
"We think it is the perfect place to initiate the spark."
Mr Heimann said the Haystack app could be downloaded from the Australian Apple App Store or Google Play or people could go to www.thehaystackapp.com for more information.
The Coterie space specifically caters to startup entrepreneurs looking to build connections and collaborate. CEA helps develop, grow and establish creative companies and is Australia's only dedicated creative industries incubator and investment fund.
For more information visit www.creativeenterprise.com.au
Media contact:
Rob Kidd, QUT Media, 07 3138 1841, rj.kidd@qut.edu.au
Kristie Welsh, Communicated, 0402 485 166
