Kyle
App discovery is a beast. I remember two years ago at TechCrunch Disrupt in New York there were three app discovery startups. A few months later at TechCrunch Disrupt SF (2011) there were another three app discovery startups. The problem that all these startups are tackling is how to discover apps across multiple app stores and markets and finding apps in a somewhat logical way.
Louisville Kentucky startup Appszito is working on a search product that will allow smartphone users to easily find applications for iOS, Android and Windows Phone devices.
Appszito uses a proprietary relational algorithm that matches smarpthone users with the best and most cost effective app solutions for whatever it is they’re looking for.
When you enter a specific type of app or need, like CAD for instance, into the Appszito engine it combs the iTunes app store, Windows Market Place and multiple Android app stores to find the most relevant search results. Appszito provides pricing information, platform and a brief description of the application that’s met the search criteria. In true search fashion it serves up the most relevant matches first, but the list of apps can be plentiful.
Users are directly linked to the download site for each particular app.
Appszito is hoping to solve the pain of searching multiple places with less than stellar results for the smartphone user. They are also looking to provide a resource for app developers to drive downloads based on relevancy.
We got a chance to talk to Appszito co-founder Rahul Ahir about his startup and the Louisville startup scene. Check out the interview below.
What is Appszito?
Appszito is a revolutionary search engine for Mobile Apps. Appszito helps users discover apps on iOS, Android and Windows platforms based on relational search algorithm.
With the ever increasing popularity of smartphones like iOS, Android and Windows Phones, there is a high demand for useful tools, fun games and overall rich mobile apps. Developers are answering the consumer’s demand by creating millions of beneficial… and not so beneficial mobile apps. The problem is that Smartphone users have to determine what mobile apps will be most useful to them and then find the most cost effective deals on said mobile apps. This can be a difficult process considering the amount of mobile apps being developed daily is staggering, thus many useful apps get lost in the shuffle.
We at Appszito strive to cater to the consumer by providing a state of the art search engine that caters specifically to mobile apps. We eliminate the frustration of scrolling through pages of irrelevant information on search engines like Google or Bing. On Appszito users will find easy access to the most up to date information available on mobile apps for Windows, Android and iOS.
We cater to both the developer and the consumer by providing information on the best deals for Smartphone apps. With so many apps being created, quality mobile apps can get lost in the shuffle. We at Appszito are very excited about providing this service, as it allows consumers to find the most up to date, cost effective deals for iOS and Android, in particular for mobile apps that have recently dropped in price. We also help the developer by getting their product in the know for the consumers.
In today’s fluctuating economy, Appszito takes pride in the fact we can help iOS, Windows and Android developers market their quality products and help users find beneficial, cost effective mobile apps quickly and easily. Overall, we save the consumer hours of time and help them save money in the process. This is a service that both Smartphone users and developers need in the over saturated mobile app market.
In layman’s terms, how does it work?
In current scenario there are many Android app stores and Google play doesn’t provide search functionality for them. In case of Apple, Windows and Android its difficult to get any app recommendation on their respective app stores using functional and relational search. Only possible way to search is if you know the app name. We are trying to fix this problem by our unique relational search algorithm which crawls multiple stores and our indexing technique makes it possible to search based of functionality. In the process we are helping user to discover the mobile apps.
Where are you based?
We are primarily based in Louisville Kentucky
What’s the startup scene/culture like where you’re based?
The startup scene in Louisville Kentucky is starting to grow quite nicely!
How did you come up with the idea for Appszito?
Personal experience led us to discover that finding useful and cost effective mobile apps was a challenge. We decided to meet that challenge head on. We found ourselves compelled to discover a solution to the issues Smartphone users were having related to mobile app search. In the process, Appszito was born.
We chose the Smartphone mobile app search field to help consumers more easily find beneficial mobile apps for their Android, Windows and iOS devices. We wanted to cater to the rising needs of mobile app users and provide an easy solution for mobile app search. We feel we have done so, and plan to continue providing consumers with the most up to date information available for mobile apps on the market.
How did you come up with the name?
In Appszito , zito is a greek word which stands for revered, hail.
What problem does Appszito solve?
There are many Android app stores and Google play doesn’t provide search functionality for them. In case of Apple, Windows and Android its difficult to get any app recommendation on their respective app stores using functional and relational search. Only possible way to search is if you know the app name. Most of the times we rely on friends, colleagues or social media sites like facebook for app suggestions. The apps which your friends like may not interest you. We are trying to fix this problem by our unique relational search algorithm which crawls multiple stores and our indexing technique makes it possible to search based of functionality. In the process we are helping user to discover the mobile apps.
What’s your secret sauce?
Innovation, simplicity and well thought out product design. Heart of our product is revolutionary relational search ranking algorithm.
What’s one dilemma you’ve encountered in the startup process?
As a start-up, you need to go out and try new things rather than brain storming about it. The feedback mechanism should exist where your early adopters tell you a lot about your product.
What’s one challenge you’ve overcome in the startup process?
In the startup environment you have to wear multiple hats and real challenge is time management. We have learnt to do better time management.
What’s next for Appszito?
Our goal is to become the de facto search engine for mobile apps worldwide. We want to be the ‘go to’ site for relevant mobile app search for consumers and mobile app developers. We plan on continuing to update our site with the most beneficial information to help consumers find the exact mobile apps they need quickly and efficiently. We also plan on continuing to help developers by allowing ease of access to their products with targeted search results.
Soon we will be launching sponsored apps feature, allowing developers to bid for advertising. We are also planning to launch our native apps on both iOS and Android.
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