Startup Anekdote has developed a subscription service that cuts the time and cost of developing mobile apps. The Härnösand-based company is now looking for capital to scale up the venture.
An app is an effective way for businesses and musicians to interact with customers and fans. But development is often expensive, technical and time-consuming.
In August, the startup Anekdote released a subscription service, a so-called SaaS (software as a service) solution, which minimizes the development effort while allowing customers to tailor the app to their own needs.
On the company's website www.anekdoteapps.com, customers create an account from their computer and design the layout of the app (colors, fonts, images, etc.) and build their pages. Based on their needs, customers then choose one of three different subscriptions at a fixed monthly cost. Anekdote guarantees that the customer's app is up to date and always available on the AppStore and Google Play.
- We want to be the fastest, cheapest and easiest way to launch and manage mobile apps. Through our Anekdote App Manager platform, anyone, regardless of technical skills, can publish and update their own apps. The time from idea to finished app is reduced from months to minutes," says Per Vikström, one of the founders.
- The customer does not need to have any development skills or buy expensive consultancy services. It's as easy as setting up a Facebook page and the cost is only a fraction compared to developing a traditional mobile app," adds co-founder Susanna Berggren.
Per Vikström has extensive experience in the music industry and sees artists as an important target group, not least for interaction with fans.
- An app is much more effective than a website in many ways, one of which is of course the ability to send out push notifications. Artists or companies can sell subscriptions, ads, products and at the same time build and strengthen their network," he says.
At the same time, some 50 companies in other industries have also tested the solution during the spring.
- "They see it as a super powerful tool for reaching customers in one place. It's important to be where the customers and followers are, i.e. on their mobiles. We also make it possible to own their customer data, instead of giving it away to the larger social media platforms," says Susanna Berggren.
She has previously been involved in developing apps for the newspaper industry and has been working for five years with intelligent automation such as software robots and so-called low code apps.
The company also has a third co-owner, Patrik Nylander, who leads the technical development and has over 30 years of experience as a developer and solution architect.
Anekdote was founded in 2021 and has raised about SEK 3.5 million in development support from Almi, the Swedish Arts Council and Region Västernorrland.
Work is now underway to raise venture capital to be able to scale up the investment.
- We are aiming for SEK 4 million in the first round. The funds will be used for continued development work, packaging and marketing, says Per Vikström.
Ankedote is also one of the companies in BizMaker's incubator program.
- We get invaluable help from our advisor Cecilia Nordlund and the others at BizMaker, says Susanna Berggren.
CONTACT
Susanna Berggren, Co-CEO & Co-Founder
070 999 14 89, susanna@anekdoteapps.com
Per Vikström, Co-CEO & Co-Founder
070 328 05 08, per@anekdoteapps.com
