The Founding 100Pre-launch opens 1 December 2026

The first 100 studios won't just use Sowary. They'll help shape it.

A curated group of photography studios, working with us on real events before Sowary opens more widely. Each studio keeps a permanent place, and a number, in Sowary's history.

Apply to The Founding 100

Already invited? Use the link in your invitation email. Already activated? Sign in

Where Sowary starts

Start with one event. Keep everything else as it is.

Sowary starts with the work after the shoot: upload an event, publish a gallery with your studio's name on it, and share it with your clients and guests. You don't need to move your archive or change tools to begin.

Available today

  • Upload an event from your browser
  • Publish a gallery with your logo and layout
  • Protect it with a PIN and an expiry date
  • Choose what clients can download
  • Share it with a branded QR code or on WhatsApp
  • Work in Arabic or English, right to left built in

Early access

  • Guests finding their photos with a selfie
  • AI editing for photos you select
  • Sending photos straight from supported cameras

What membership means

A status, not a subscription.

Founding Membership is a permanent distinction for your studio. It's free and it never expires. It isn't a free plan: during the beta your studio runs on Early Access, and when paid plans arrive, members choose the plan that fits them.

  • A permanent member number

    Founding Member No. 001 to 100. Your studio keeps it for good, and it's never given to anyone else.

  • Early Access during the beta

    Use Sowary on your real events while it's being built, with the team close enough to fix things quickly.

  • A direct line to the team

    Your experience goes to the people deciding what's built next. We'll listen closely; we won't promise every request.

  • Welcome Credits for AI editing

    Added when AI editing with credits opens, and valid for 90 days from then.

  • A founding discount on paid plans

    A permanent benefit for members. Its terms will be shared before paid plans open.

The Founding 100

A hundred places. Each one held by a real studio.

Every number belongs to one studio, for good. Numbers are given as studios join; they mark a place, not a rank. Members choose whether their studio appears here.

0places held so far

  • Open
  • Held privately
  • Member profile

Tap a number to see who holds it.

Who it's for

A good fit if you

  • Photograph real events: weddings, corporate, graduations, press
  • Care how your clients and guests receive their photos
  • Want the work after the shoot to feel calmer
  • Will use Sowary on real work and tell us honestly how it goes

Not the right fit yet if you

  • Need a finished, mass-market product today
  • Are looking only for editing or retouching tools
  • Would rather not share feedback

What we ask

  • Use it on real work
  • Tell us what breaks
  • Be honest about what's worth it

How it works

  1. 01

    Apply

    Two short steps, a couple of minutes.

  2. 02

    We review

    We read every application ourselves. Selection isn't first come, first served.

  3. 03

    Invitation

    Selected studios receive a personal invitation by email, valid for 14 days.

  4. 04

    Activate

    Create your account and set up your studio.

  5. 05

    Your number

    Your studio receives its Founding Member number, for good.

Apply

Apply to The Founding 100

Two short steps. We read every application ourselves and invite studios in small groups.

  1. You
  2. Your work

Your invitation will come to this address.

We use your details to review your application and, if your studio is selected, to send your invitation. Details of applications that aren't selected are deleted 12 months after our decision.

Questions

Does it cost anything?

Founding Membership is free and permanent. Using Sowary during the beta is included through Early Access. Paid plans come later; members will choose a plan then, with a founding discount whose terms we'll share before paid plans open.

How are studios selected?

We read every application and look for studios photographing real events who will use Sowary on real work. It isn't first come, first served, and applying doesn't guarantee a place.

What's the difference from the waitlist?

The waitlist is for news as Sowary opens more widely. The Founding 100 is a curated group of studios using Sowary now and helping to shape it. We may also invite studios from the waitlist.

What does my number mean?

It marks your studio's place among the first 100. Numbers are given as studios join; they don't rank anyone. Your studio keeps its number for good.

Will my studio appear on this page?

Only if you choose to. Members decide whether to show their studio on The Founding 100, and can hide it at any time without affecting their membership.

What if I'm not selected?

We'll let you know by email. It isn't a judgement of your work; we invite a small number of studios at a time.

Do I need to move my existing galleries?

No. Start with one upcoming event and keep your current tools for everything else.

“I've photographed for many years. Sowary is built from the work I kept seeing after every shoot: the folders, the follow-ups and the delivery pressure that photographers carry alone.”

Karim Mesallam, founder

Read the manifesto