How social app TapNow transformed user experiences and increased retention by 50% through Mixpanel's startup program

Founded in 2020, Sango Technologies is the creator of TapNow, a social networking app designed for Generation Z and Generation Alpha. With its “Social Widgets” feature, TapNow allows users to share photos directly to friends’ mobile home screens without opening the app—offering a seamless, engaging social experience.

Since its launch in 2022, TapNow has grown rapidly to 2 million users, primarily high school students in Tokyo. Operating with a distributed team of employees across Japan, Vietnam, and the U.S., TapNow needed a scalable solution to align their global workforce and optimize user engagement through actionable insights.

TapNow joined Mixpanel’s startup program to overcome inefficiencies in data analysis and user engagement. By implementing Mixpanel’s digital analytics platform, TapNow transformed its approach to data-driven decision-making. Within six months, the company achieved a 50% increase in user retention, doubled in-app time spent by users, and accelerated data analysis by 10x, paving the way for sustained growth and innovation.

TapNow’s early approach to data analysis was time-consuming and inefficient. Engineers were tasked with manually preparing datasets, and a lack of centralized naming conventions created friction in extracting insights.

“We spent so much time building custom reports just to test basic hypotheses,” said Yuma Noma, CEO of Sango Technologies. “It felt like we were always playing catch-up with our users.”
To stay competitive and deliver a seamless user experience, TapNow needed a solution that provided:

• Real-time analytics for faster decision-making.
• Behavioral insights to improve retention and engagement.
• Ease of integration and accessibility for both technical and non-technical team members.

After evaluating several analytics platforms, TapNow chose Mixpanel for its simplicity, speed, and advanced capabilities. The team found Mixpanel’s behavioral cohort analysis, custom dashboards, and intuitive UI invaluable in aligning its global team under a shared, data-driven vision.

Benefiting from the Mixpanel for Startups program, TapNow was able to utilize all of Mixpanel’s features from day one. With the most generous offer on the market, the startup program provides full access to Mixpanel for one year, for free. Without having to worry about time-trials or pay walls, TapNow unlocked advanced features and deeper analytics, enabling their global team to scale efficiently and continuously innovate in their first year.

“Mixpanel wasn’t just a tool; it was a partner that helped us see our users clearly for the first time,” Noma noted. “The insights we gained in days would have taken us months before.”

Within six months of adopting Mixpanel, TapNow has transformed its operations and achieved impressive outcomes:

50% increase in retention
By analyzing and targeting key user behaviors—such as early interactions and follow-ups—retention rates improved by 50%.
Doubling in-app time spent
Personalization and smarter engagement strategies led to users spending twice as much time on the app.
10x faster analysis
Automated insights slashed the time required for data analysis, freeing engineers to focus on development and innovation. “The time saved alone justified the switch,” Noma remarked.
Enhanced user satisfaction
Mixpanel-powered recommendations led to a 40% increase in click-through rates, delighting users and strengthening engagement.

The integration of Mixpanel into TapNow’s operations marked a significant shift in how the company approached data. From the outset, Mixpanel’s seamless integration capabilities allowed TapNow to unify user activity and engagement metrics across their platform. By consolidating disparate data sources into a single, streamlined flow, TapNow laid the groundwork for actionable insights. As Noma explained, “ensuring seamless data flow and consistency was key to unlocking the platform’s potential.”

With the foundation in place, Mixpanel’s behavioral analytics enabled the team to dive deeper into user patterns. By leveraging cohort analysis, TapNow could identify trends and design targeted engagement strategies that addressed user needs at each stage of the journey. “Our analytics uncovered opportunities for personalized interactions and optimized campaign strategies that weren’t visible before,” said Noma.

Custom dashboards became a cornerstone of TapNow’s decision-making process. These provided real-time visibility into critical KPIs, such as the “Elness Curve” (app launches over time) and the app’s “magic number” for retention—users who followed others within two days of installing the app. The clarity and accessibility of this data allowed both technical and non-technical teams to act quickly and decisively.

Early adoption is crucial in the startup journey

One of Noma’s strongest recommendations to startups is the early adoption of tools like Mixpanel. Choosing a tool like Mixpanel from the start provides essential analysis capabilities while offering the flexibility to scale and grow, thanks to its powerful and in-depth features. He highlights the importance of implementing robust analytics from the outset, even when resources are tight.

“It’s never too early to start building a data-driven culture,” Noma advises. “Having Mixpanel in place right after launch meant we could iterate faster and make smarter choices.” Mixpanel’s intuitive dashboards allowed both technical and non-technical team members to easily track KPIs such as the “Elness Curve”—a measure of app launches over a specific period—and their “magic number” for early user engagement: the number of users who follow others within two days of installing the app. These insights have become crucial in monitoring user behavior and refining their product strategy early on.

What’s next for TapNow?

With Mixpanel as their trusted analytics partner, TapNow is set to expand its reach and redefine social networking for a new generation.
“Mixpanel helped us iterate faster and make smarter choices, ensuring TapNow’s continued growth and success,” Noma concluded.