AppFury (@appfury) launched in the summer of 2010 to build custom mobile solutions and is self-funded by paying customers. The company provides three key mobile services that include app development, site development, and setup of marketing strategy. Recently they announced a site redesign of which I’m a huge fan. The new look is simple and clean and is a major upgrade from their previous look.
Earlier this year when I spoke to co-founder Eric Hinman it quickly came to my attention the focus of the company. Rather than invest resources into say projects that entail mobile game development or some closely related form of entertainment, AppFury pays the bulk of their attention to projects that involve a search component and/or the chance to improve how useful information is presented. A focus I have deep respect for. I commented to Eric how AppFury seems to not only want to help businesses grow by giving them a mobile presence, but more so they seem to genuinely care about making information retrieval less of a burden on users.
Let me give you a few examples.
SOHOinmypocket and MIDTOWNinmypocket are directories of, and navigation tools for, all there is to do in and around Soho and Midtown. To give you a sense of how liked SOHOinmypocket is, “SOHOinmypocket was featured on the iTunes app store as ‘New and Noteworthy’ and rose to one of the top ten most downloaded apps in the Navigation Category.” This provides some validation the ‘inymypocket’ suite of apps does make it easier for people to find their way to all the great places in their section of the city. Users can favorite different places and spot deals as they arise. I’d like to even see reviews from Yelp integrated in the future.
Two more apps of theirs include Strategic Communications and Creative Core Connect. The former is a reference library for management teams (or anyone really) to determine the threat level of a bubbling crisis and tips for how to safely handle the it. They say, “When disaster strikes, company executives need to easily and effectively communicate steps to manage the crisis.” The app can be accessed without any internet connection, making it particularly useful during situations where power may be lost and the user’s phone still has charge.
The Creative Core Connect app is similar to those found in the suite of ‘inmypocket’ apps except it was built for Centerstate CEO, a twelve-county business leadership and economic development organization, based in Syracuse, New York. The app includes an easy to search directory of more than 2,000 businesses located throughout the Centerstate region. AppFury has developed a proprietary CMS to give businesses full control of their brand presence and the ability to easily make updates to their existing listing.
Executive Team
Steven VonDeak, Co-Founder
Eric Hinman, Co-Founder
Andrew Farah, Chief Information Officer
