Arizona State students win $50,000 grant for app creation
Feb 7, 2015, 11:37 AM | Updated: 11:47 am
An app described as “Craigslist-meets-Instagram” developed by Arizona State University students won a $50,000 grant in the school’s first “Spark Tank” contest.
Mochi, a free app, will soon launch thanks to the grant and allows users to see a photo of whatever item is for sale and communicate with the seller through the app, instead of giving out their personal phone numbers or email addresses.
The app was born out of a desperation for “buyer and seller trust.”
Four “angel investors” provided mentorship and investment capital to the many teams of students competing for the grant during the Spark Tank competition, which is loosely based off the hit television show “Shark Tank.”
Other ideas included new designs for snowboard bindings, sensors to help detect and alert necessary personnel in case of stove top fires, a mobile app that suggests reading material to users and custom aeroponic cultivation systems.
