Invest in Young Entrepreneurs Building Community in Pet App

Hi, my name is Anna LaRocco Masi, and I’m the founder of Petwrk—a tech startup with heart, built for pet owners who crave real-world connection. We’re creating an app that makes it easy to schedule local pet playdates and join a digital forum that supports joyful, healthy lives—for pets and their people.

10 Reasons to Donate to Petwrk Today:

Bring more play to more pets—We help pets stay social, healthy, and happy.

Combat loneliness—Our app connects humans as much as it does pets.

Join a movement—We’re building a tech platform grounded in real community.

Support ethical tech—We’re privately owned, women-led, and mission-driven.

Fund real people—Your donation helps pay developers, moderators, and creatives.

Be part of the story—Get access to supporter-only updates and shoutouts.

Enable local meetups—Help us expand the playdate network in your city.

Reduce stress and improve wellness—For pets and their people.

No ads. No gimmicks. Just connection.

Show your pet how much you love them—with community.

My name is Anna LaRocco Masi, and I'm the proud founder of an innovative pet app that stands at the intersection of technology and animal care. Our app's heart lies in its two primary features: connecting pet owners for delightful pet playdates and facilitating the adoption process for animals seeking homes. We champion the concept of 'Pets' as our guiding principle, ensuring our platform is inclusive and welcoming to all animal enthusiasts.

Why This Matters Right Now

Our world is more isolated than ever. Whether it’s the loneliness of working remotely, moving to a new city, or just struggling to make time for real connection, we often turn to our pets for comfort. They deserve a social life, too.

Petwrk bridges that gap—giving people an easy way to meet up, make friends, and let their pets play safely and joyfully. We're not selling data, pushing ads, or trying to “go viral”—we're building something genuinely good.

What the Funds Will Be Used For

We're raising funds to support:

Developer labor to launch a stable, safe, mobile-first experience

☁️ Google Cloud storage and technical infrastructure

Outreach and partnerships with local businesses and advertisers to generate revenue

Community building tools like our forum and safety features

Thanks to my background in marketing, we’ve already cut promotional costs by over 40% using my own firm, Phoenix LaRocco Consulting. We stretch every dollar and reinvest everything into building Petwrk the right way.

Who I Am

Before Petwrk, I worked in global development, community organizing, and digital strategy. I’ve helped nonprofits and small businesses grow from the ground up, but I’ve always come back to one truth: community changes lives—and pets are often the most powerful way we find that connection.

I created Petwrk because I needed it. As a pet parent and someone who moved around often, I’ve felt that aching need to find others who just get it. When I couldn’t find it, I decided to build it.

What We’ve Tried Already

We bootstrapped our beta and built a team.

We ran early user interviews and validated the playdate idea.

We reached out to local shelters, forums, and pet parents to gather feedback.

We trimmed all non-essential costs. We’ve cut every corner except quality.

Still, development costs are real. Cloud storage, moderation tools, design updates, and community outreach all take time and funds we simply don’t have without help.

‍♀️ Our Challenges So Far

When we first launched a prototype, we faced:

Tech limitations we couldn’t scale without proper infrastructure.

Safety and trust issues that required time-intensive fixes.

Being taken seriously as a woman-led tech startup in a crowded space.

We kept going. When pet parents told us their dog was calmer after a playdate, or they made a friend after using Petwrk, we knew we were on the right path.

❤️ Why This Ask Is Personal

My life changed dramatically when I realized how much of my own healing came from walking my husky, Helsinki, and meeting people at the dog park. That quiet moment—watching pets play while two strangers became friends—was the beginning of Petwrk.

This isn’t just about pets. It’s about people. It’s about mental health. It’s about healing. And it’s about building a platform that doesn’t just make money—it makes meaning.

How You Can Help

Donate any amount—every dollar moves us closer to launch

Share your email if you’d like to test the app: https://forms.gle/gEn8jTkTKVGVEAay5

Spread the word—share this with other pet lovers

Even if you can’t give, just sharing this campaign is an act of support that could change everything.

Thank you for reading. Thank you for caring. And thank you for believing in people—and pets—who just want to connect.

With deep gratitude,

Anna & the Petwrk Team

As we stand on the brink of scaling our project, we're reaching out to like-minded individuals who share our passion for pets and our vision for a more connected community of animal lovers.

In a world where opinions on politics, cuisine, and countless other topics diverge, our love for pets remains a universal bond. It's this shared affection and commitment to animal welfare that our app celebrates and seeks to expand. We're not just building an app; we're nurturing a community where every member is united by a common goal: the happiness and well-being of our pets. Join us in this journey, where your belief in our mission and love for your pets can make a profound difference.

We also need people to share their email address for those who want to try the app sign up here: https://forms.gle/gEn8jTkTKVGVEAay5 Interest Form