Carleton University students have developed a new app called Third Space, aimed at addressing feelings of loneliness and encouraging in-person connections on campus.
The app officially launched on Jan. 20, co-founded by Cedric Osagie, a recent graduate of Carleton’s bachelor of commerce program and Eshan Betrabet, a third-year cognitive science student.
At the app’s launch event at the Sprott School of Business Innovation Hub on Jan. 24, Osagie said Third Space is a response to the growing need for face-to-face interaction.
“In an era of ever-increasing digital connectivity, we are paradoxically more disconnected than ever before,” he said. “The whole concept of building Third Space is to create a space where people can share experiences in real time, in person.”
Upon opening the app, users are greeted by a message saying “we’re not: a dating app, a friendship app, a social media app.” To create a profile, the app asks users to select their field of study, where they’re from and their interests.
Currently, only Carleton students can create accounts, as registration requires a Carleton email account.
To use Third Space, students select an experience, such as a coffee run or a study session in the library. The app then connects them with like-minded students who chose a similar experience.
Osagie said the idea came from his own struggles connecting with other students while living in residence, despite using social media.
“As I used social media more, I was more distant from my environment,” Osagie said. “I felt it should do the opposite.”
The app’s name reflects a dual meaning, Osagie added.
”Third space” is a term coined by sociologist Ray Oldenburg, referring to a place outside of home, work and school where people can socialize and build community.
The name is also an homage to one of the oldest social media platforms, MySpace.
Osagie said the team’s vision is “to make sharing an experience with someone as easy as sharing a ride with Uber.”
Bertabret said while their mission was simple, developing the app was anything but.
He said the first version of Third Space only “worked about 30 per cent of the time,” but early users still found value in it, which he said motivated the team to continue its development.
For many students who attended the launch party, Third Space addresses a longstanding need.
Keandra Gruys, a fourth-year international business student, said she wished the app was available during her first year of university, when she moved to Ontario during the pandemic.
“I’m excited to see that other students and future students will be able to utilize this app,” she said.
Khizar Malik, a third-year computer science student, was also part of the development team alongside Osagie and Bertabret.
“There’s a lot behind the scenes that people don’t see with the app. It’s so much more than just an app — there’s so much love and hard work and sleepless nights put into it,” he said. “It’s such a blessing to be part of something this big with such exceptional people.”
Malik, who joined the development team in October, said Third Space stands out in a social media landscape that often feels empty.
“Gen Z is on track to be the loneliest generation ever,” Malik said.
According to a Statistics Canada survey conducted in 2024, nearly one in five people aged 15 to 24 said they always or often feel lonely.
“Social media is not even social anymore, it’s just media,” he said. “That’s why this is important. It differs from other apps in the sense that it’s not media, it’s only social.”
Osagie said Third Space’s next goal is to expand the app’s presence at Carleton before introducing it to the University of Ottawa and other campuses across Canada.
Featured image by Douaa Qadadia.
