Fizz CEO Teddy Solomon to Speak at Web Summit 2025 on the Future of Social Media

Fizz, the social media platform created by Gen Z for Gen Z to form authentic digital communities, today announced that Co-Founder and CEO Teddy Solomon will take the stage at Web Summit 2025 in Lisbon to discuss the future of social media.

Teddy will join the Startup University stage for a one-on-one fireside chat, “The Death of Facebook,” moderated by radio host Diogo Pires. The conversation will explore how Gen Z is turning away from traditional social platforms in favor of more authentic, community-driven spaces. He will also speak on the Creative Summit stage for “How to Design with Meaning,” moderated by Lauren Jackson of The New York Times, alongside Matt Sia, Executive Creative Director at Pearlfisher, to discuss how purpose-led design can shape products and experiences that resonate deeply with users.

“Gen Z isn’t interested in performative social media. They’re looking for spaces that feel real and are grounded in shared experience,” said Teddy Solomon, Co-Founder and CEO of Fizz. “Fizz was built to reclaim what social media lost: connection, humor, and belonging. Web Summit is the perfect place to share the mission of bringing social back to social media.”

Legacy social media apps have become more about entertainment than connecting with friends. Many legacy platforms abide by the 1/9/90 rule, meaning 1% post, 9% comment, and 90% lurk, while feeds are filled with content from strangers. Fizz takes a different approach, fostering genuine community and participation within trusted, hyperlocal networks. The result: 35% of users create content, reflecting an unprecedented level of engagement and belonging.

Fizz’s growth reflects this appetite for more authentic connections. The app is now live on more than 700 campuses, with over 30 million total posts to date. This fall, Fizz has crushed its previous registration records, surpassing Reddit on the App Store charts in August.

As Fizz continues to scale, the company is expanding its advertising business with the hire of Andrew Zalk, former Head of Paid Content Partnerships at Flipboard, as Head of Business Solutions. During his nine years at Flipboard, Zalk built a team that secured collaborations with Chanel, Amazon, and Sony Pictures, resulting in a fivefold increase in revenue.

At Fizz, he will oversee the evolution of the company’s ad offering – moving from short-term, one-day campaigns to long-term partnerships with major brands. Building on early pilots that achieved click-through rates well above industry standard, Zalk will focus on creating high-value collaborations that align with Fizz’s mission of authentic community engagement.

Founded by Stanford students in 2021, Fizz is now live at over 700 US college campuses, offering Gen Z a safer, more genuine alternative to traditional social media.

For more information, visit www.fizzsocial.app

ABOUT FIZZ
Fizz was launched at Stanford in 2021 as an authentic social platform for updates on campus life. Now active on over 700 college campuses nationwide, Fizz facilitates real conversations and the daily thoughts of college students who can express themselves in a moderated environment. Fizz’s new product, Global Fizz, is changing the way Gen Z connects around their shared experiences and common identity.

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Abigail Campbell

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