New location-based app Wrinkles launches to provide AI-powered audio stories about nearby places

On August 4, 2026, co-founders David Stemler and Ryan Hansan launched Wrinkles, a free iOS and Android app that acts as an AI-powered audio tour guide. Utilizing device location, Wrinkles plays audio stories about nearby landmarks, streets, and history. The app features 1.3 million points of interest across 177 countries, allowing users to ask verbal questions, share custom guides, and attach personal memories. Wrinkles generates revenue from institutional partners and transaction fees.

Wrinkles app launch

• ▪A location-based mobile application called Wrinkles launched on iOS and Android on August 4, 2026, to provide AI-powered audio stories about nearby places.
• ▪David Stemler conceived the idea for the Wrinkles application after experiencing a frustrating self-guided tour at the British Museum in London.

Location-based audio storytelling features

• ▪Users of the Wrinkles application can ask verbal questions while exploring to receive real-time answers about specific points of interest.
• ▪The Wrinkles application uses device location to play audio stories about nearby buildings, streets, and local history, allowing hands-free exploration.

Founder backgrounds

• ▪Wrinkles co-founders David Stemler and Ryan Hansan have been friends since middle school and frequently developed business ideas during their travels together.
• ▪Wrinkles was co-founded by advertising executive David Stemler and Ryan Hansan, the founder of meal delivery service ScratchDC and commercial kitchen TasteLab.

Global content library

• ▪The Wrinkles application launched with a foundational database of 1.3 million points of interest across 177 countries.
• ▪Historians, museums, creators, and brands can contribute their own historical stories and localized experiences directly to the Wrinkles map.

Revenue from institutional partners

• ▪The Wrinkles application is free for users, generating revenue from museums, tourism boards, universities, and hotels that create custom location-based experiences.
• ▪Wrinkles earns transaction fees when users use partner links in the application to book tours, reserve tables, or purchase tickets.

Social sharing capabilities

• ▪Users can personalize the Wrinkles application by attaching photos, videos, recordings, and family memories to specific geographical locations.
• ▪Wrinkles users can follow other accounts, save and share points of interest, and organize locations into custom maps and guides.

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