Flam: Shourya Agarwal is Building the Future of Social Networking on the Metaverse
For the last two decades, our interaction with the digital world has been trapped within the rectangular borders of our smartphones and laptops. We consume content in 2D, scrolling through feeds that look and feel the same. But Shourya Agarwal, the visionary Founder of Flam, believes the next evolution of the internet—the Metaverse—is about to smash those screens. By shifting from device-first to camera-first interfaces, Flam is building a social network where the entire world becomes the canvas for augmented reality (AR) experiences. From "time-traveling" through geo-located memories to turning your living room into a fantasy world, Shourya is proving that the metaverse isn't just a buzzword—it's the 3D internet.
On the ELI Podcast, Shourya discusses his journey from a handwritten letter in his BITS Pilani dorm to leading one of the world's first social metaverse platforms. Backed by major investors like Titan Capital and having recently raised over $22 million, Flam is redefining how we create, consume, and share memories in an immersive, lenses-first world.
The Camera-First Shift
Shourya identifies the current internet's limitation as its 2D constraint. The Metaverse shift happens when we move to camera-first interfaces. Whether through smartphones, wearable glasses, or VR headsets, the camera becomes the primary way we consume content, allowing virtual and real worlds to blend seamlessly.
The Gateway: Flam Cards and User-Generated AR
To many, the metaverse feels intimidating and complex. Shourya’s strategy was to create a "Trojan Horse" for mass adoption: Flam Cards. While humanity has printed physical photos for 200 years, Flam Cards allow those photos to come alive. By scanning a printed card with the Flam app, a video or 3D element begins to play directly on the physical object—reminiscent of the moving images in Harry Potter.
"We cannot build the metaverse as a company alone; the users have to create it," Shourya explains. "Flam Cards are the first time people are generating AR content at scale. It turns the camera from a tool for creation into a tool for consumption."
Solving "Space-Time Complexity"
Beyond the novelty of moving pictures, Flam is tackling what Shourya calls "Space-Time Complexity." In his visionary roadmap, content isn't just stored in a gallery; it’s anchored to reality.
The Metaverse Use Cases
- Time Travel: Recording a volumetric AR memory in a specific cafe. Five years later, your phone notifies you at that same location, allowing you to "see" and "touch" that memory as it happened in 3D.
- Space Travel: Changing the world around you contextually. Point your camera at your office, and it transforms into the Harry Potter world, with your furniture becoming magical artifacts.
- Avatar Fluidity: Allowing users to become whatever they imagine—be it a superhero or a fantasy character—and interact with others in that form within the real world.
Building the Global "AR Engine"
Flam’s business model is as multi-layered as its technology. While the consumer app builds the social network, the underlying **AR Engine** is a powerful B2B asset. Flam plans to empower other businesses—like photo printing giant Shutterfly—by integrating their AR engine into existing apps.
"We worked on the technology for 14 months before launching because the infrastructure simply didn't exist," Shourya recalls. This long-term focus has paid off, allowing Flam to eye a massive advertising market where 3D, lenses-first ads will eventually replace traditional internet banners.
Scale and Momentum
- Funding: $22.5 Million raised to date, including a $14M Series A in 2025.
- Investors: Backed by RTP Global, Turbostart, 9Unicorns, and founders of major tech firms.
- Global Talent: Hired leadership from giants like TikTok and Snapchat.
- Market: Disrupting the $50 billion physical photo and greeting card industry.
The Talent Magnet: Vision Over Valuation
How does a startup in India hire the Director of Marketing from TikTok or the APAC head of Snapchat? For Shourya, it’s about the magnitude of the dream. "We are not here to build another unicorn; we are here to build the next trillion-dollar social network from India," he says.
He believes that **Knowledge is the function of Consciousness**, and consciousness drives energy. By transferring his deep clarity on the metaverse roadmap to his team of 40+, he has created an inbound magnet for talent who want to build the future, not just an app.
Shourya's Advice for Founders
"Start only if you are genuinely obsessed with the problem statement. It’s not a 2-3 year game; it’s a decade-long journey. If you are conscious enough of your journey, you'll see a bankruptcy coming 10 months in advance and have the time to pivot. Obsession is the only thing that sustains energy."
The Future: A Social World without Boundaries
As Flam expands into North America, Europe, and the MENA region, Shourya Agarwal remains paranoid and obsessed in equal measure. He views the real and virtual worlds as a blend that, once integrated, creates a social network that stays for a century. By leveraging the real world we live in, Flam is ensuring that our digital identities and memories are as permanent and tangible as the physical photos we've cherished for generations.