Wrinkles Launches AI App That Reveals Hidden Stories Behind Everyday Places

A new mobile app called Wrinkles is aiming to change how people experience the world around them by automatically telling the stories behind nearby places. Available on iOS and Android, the app uses a person’s location to deliver AI-powered audio narration about buildings, streets, landmarks, and other points of interest without requiring users to look at their phones constantly.

The concept is designed to make everyday exploration feel more like a guided tour. As users walk through a city, Wrinkles can explain the history of a neighbourhood, reveal the background of a landmark or share lesser-known local stories, allowing people to learn about their surroundings while remaining engaged with the environment rather than a screen.

Wrinkles was founded by longtime advertising executive David Stemler and entrepreneur Ryan Hansan, who previously founded the meal delivery company ScratchDC and commercial kitchen platform TasteLab. The pair have known each other since middle school and say their shared passion for travel has inspired many of their business ideas over the years.

Stemler said the idea came while visitingLondon’ss British Museum, where he used the museum’s official self-guided tour app. Although he appreciated the app’s design, he found himself spending more time matching exhibit numbers on his phone than actually experiencing the museum. On his return journey, he called Hansan and proposed the idea of letting nearby places effectively “speak” through a smartphone that already knows a user’s location.

Building a global map of stories

The startup has created what it calls a foundation of 1.3 million “Wrinkles,” or points of interest, spanning 177 countries. Historians, museums, creators and brands can contribute their own stories to the platform, while users can discover those experiences either by physically visiting locations or by exploring the map remotely.

The app also supports conversational interaction. As users listen to a story, they can ask follow-up questions to learn more about a location. For example, after hearing about Rome’s Trevi Fountain, someone could ask where its water comes from and receive additional information without leaving the experience.

Adding a social and personal layer

Wrinkles also incorporates social networking features. Users can follow friends, family members, creators, and organisations, share interesting places, build custom guides, and save collections of locations for future trips.

Beyond public places, the app allows users to attach their own memories to specific locations by adding photographs, videos, voice recordings and family stories. Multiple family members can contribute to preserve shared memories connected to childhood homes, favourite restaurants, vacations, or other meaningful places.

Hansan said the founders do not view Wrinkles simply as a travel application. While it can enhance vacations and sightseeing, they believe the platform is equally valuable during everyday routines, helping people rediscover their hometowns, learn more about neighbourhoods they pass regularly,rly or explore college campuses, botanical gardens, ens and zoos.

Free for users with business-focused revenue

Although the founders have experimented with freemium pricing, they say they intend to keep the app free for users. Instead, the company’s revenue is expected to come primarily from organisations such as museums, tourism boards, universities and hotels that use Wrinkles to create location-based visitor experiences without developing their own applications.

Businesses and media partners will also be able to create sponsored guides tied to specific places. In contrast, partners can add links allowing users to reserve tours, purchase tickets, book restaurant tables, or visit nearby businesses. Wrinkles plans to earn a share of those transactions.

Looking ahead, Stemler and Hansan envision Wrinkles becoming a regular companion for discovering the stories behind everyday places, whether someone is planning an international trip, exploring a new city, or simply becoming more curious about the neighbourhood they already call home.