#WeArePlay
Discover the stories of people from all over the United States building apps and games businesses on Google Play.
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Meet Bernard from Bloomington, Indiana. His app Yorescape takes people on virtual tours of historical sites around the globe.
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Meet Dr Rosita from Alaska. Her team made SHI: Language Games, which uses interactive games to preserve traditional Southeast Alaskan tribal languages.
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Meet Brian and Patrick from Minneapolis. Their app Voloco has over 50 million downloads worldwide - helping aspiring singers, rappers and content creators perfect their sound.
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Meet Atif, Sara and Aziz from California. They’re co-founders of Tarjimly, a free translation app used by doctors, aid workers and NGOs worldwide to communicate with refugees.
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Discover more stories from people across the world
Explore now
Founder
Bernard Frischer
Company
Flyover Zone
Location
Bloomington, Indiana
Downloads
33,700+
# of employees
5
While studying classics and archaeology in Italy in the 70s, Bernard was in awe of a physical model reconstructing the entire city of ancient Rome. It was then that the idea for a virtual travel experience first occurred to him. 50 years later, he was able to make this vision come to life with Yorescape. The app recreates historical cities and civilizations digitally for users to explore the ruins of ancient Egypt, Greece, Italy, Lebanon, and Mexico. Bernard recently added the Agora in ancient Athens. One day, he hopes to cover sites in all four corners of the earth.
"We're passionate about what we do and wanted to share that passion with as many people as possible. Google Play has a large, global reach, so it makes it possible for us to do that"
President
Rosita Ḵaaháni Worl
Company
Sealaska Heritage Institute
Location
Juneau, Alaska
Downloads
1,300+
# of employees
80
The traditional Southeast Alaskan tribal languages of Tlingit, Haida and Tsimshian had almost died out. With just a handful of birth speakers left, the Sealaska Heritage Institute - led by anthropologist and Alaska Native Dr. Rosita Worl - created an app to preserve them. Launched in 2014, SHI: Language Games uses interactive games and recorded voices to engage learners. Widely used in schools and by adults reconnecting with their heritage, the app was initially offered in Tlingit, with Haida and Tsimshian versions released in 2023. They also plan to introduce a virtual reality function, allowing people to immerse themselves in the culture and explore these historic communities further.
"Learning to fully accept our culture, art, and language has only come about in the last decade. It's a beautiful thing that we are now preserving our language and making it part of the public sphere"
Co-founders
Brian Stevenson
and Patrick Flanagan
Company
Resonant Cavity
Location
Minneapolis, Minnesota
Downloads
50,000,000+
# of employees
9
Musician and composer Patrick wanted to improve the sound of his own vocals, so he created a pitch correction app mainly for his own use. When a side project app he developed with colleague and friend Brian didn’t perform well commercially, the pair revisited his original title and polished it up for re-release. On Voloco, aspiring singers, rappers and content creators can perfect their sound and achieve near-studio quality vocals using just their phone. Next, they’re launching direct messages and social features to allow people to discover new artists and grow an audience.
"We’ve loved the development we’ve seen with Google Play. It’s made distributing apps to millions of people easy and safe"
Co-founders
Atif Javed,
Sara Haj-Hassan
and Aziz Alghunaim
Company
Tarjimly
Location
Mountain View, California
Downloads
48,300+
# of employees
12
Atif spent his childhood interpreting for his refugee grandmother, so he understands the pain of language barriers. He met Aziz at MIT and together they built a translation app to help during the height of the Syrian refugee crisis. It grew into Tarjimly: a free translation app used by doctors, aid workers, and NGOs worldwide. Social worker Sara, who supports refugee communities, joined their founding team. Tarjimly - meaning 'translate for me' in 12 languages - has over 60,000 volunteer translators in 150 languages, and the team provides paid work for around 100 refugee translators. They're now leveraging AI to increase their reach and grow Tarjimly's global language repertoire.
"Google Play has been absolutely critical in reaching refugee and immigrant communities around the world that need our language services"
Co-founders
Jacek Duda,
Paul Coleman and
Mark Spencer
Company
DroidEFB
City
Huntsville
Downloads
100,000+
# of employees
3
When software engineer Mark discovered his passion for flying planes, he realized he couldn't find an app that gave him all the information he needed. Most apps with weather forecasts, flight charts and location tracking weren't affordable or accessible. So he teamed up with friend Paul and engineer Jacek, also fellow pilots, to build DroidEFB (Electronic Flight Bag). The app has all the tools a pilot needs to navigate inflight issues and travel safely across the United States. Next, they are in negotiations with other countries to access flight charts and expand their business overseas.
"As soon as the app is ready to use in other countries, it'll basically be like flipping a switch on Google Play - it will help us reach all these other markets"
Co-founders
Jennifer Ryan,
Lindsey Noto King,
Stewart Price,
Brett Ables
and Kenny Kung
Company
Croux
City
Birmingham
Downloads
2,400+
# of employees
4
Jennifer's restaurant was still in its infancy when the pandemic hit. Like many entrepreneurs in the service industry, the flight of talent from the sector threatened to cripple her business. Keen to support the workers, including moms and individuals working in multiple jobs, Jennifer teamed up with fellow hospitality veterans Stewart, Lindsay, and Brett, as well as tech brain power Kenny, to create Croux. The app offers trusted talent access to flexible work across the hospitality industry along with instant pay, health and wellness benefits, financial support, tax expertise, and a community of like-minded people seeking financial freedom. Now live in 7 markets, Croux's next focus is expansion into big sports and entertainment events.
"The efficiency and control we gain by using Google Play is critical to our company's success. It's so easy to manage and monitor the distribution of our app"
Founder
Gordon Telepun
Company
Foxwood Astronomy
City
Decatur
Downloads
100,000+
# of employees
2
Board-certified plastic surgeon Gordon has always been fascinated by space and fondly recalls watching the moon landing on TV as a child. It was viewing a partial eclipse on a beach in New Jersey aged six that sparked a lifetime passion for solar events. Years later, he went on to achieve his dream of witnessing a total eclipse in Zambia, where he realized how challenging it was to perfectly time celestial photos. This inspired him to create Solar Eclipse Timer in his free time, an app that uses geolocation to countdown to the perfect shot. Since launching, it’s helped thousands capture stunning pictures. Now, he's working on perfecting the app's next version for upcoming major eclipses.
"My goal is to help novices be successful in capturing photos of their first eclipse, because it can be an overwhelming experience that's difficult to get right"
Co-founders
Ashlee Ammons
Kerry Schrader
Company
Mixtroz
City
Birmingham
Downloads
1,000+
# of employees
3
Ashlee and her mom Kerry had a shared frustration: they found it tricky to engage with new people at events. So they put their heads together to create a networking app. With no tech experience, both left successful careers to build a platform that could spark meaningful connections and help avoid awkward encounters. Mixtroz lets people attending events connect and engage easily with one another. After the pandemic, they evolved the software, adding new features so that Mixtroz can be used for virtual meetings.
“My mom and I are helping to change the face of what entrepreneurship looks like. My mom is not a millennial. We are showing that technology is for everyone. We love being part of that movement”
Co-founders
Andrew Stone
Nick Sloan
Company
Random Logic Games
City
Birmingham
Downloads
45,000,000+
# of employees
10
Andrew and Nick started Random Logic Games while working together at a tech company. They had design and sales expertise but no knowledge of app-building. So they hired a developer team to help them make simple mobile games. The business exploded when their breakout title, Guess the Emoji, captured people's affection for this new form of communication. Since then, they’ve had many viral successes, with installs jumping from tens to thousands in a day. This year, to support growth, they’re moving the majority of their business to Google Play.
“Any developer regardless of location, and with very little money, can sign up to Google Play and get started, which is what we did. Then there’s the amount of scale and reach that you can achieve”
Co-founders
Elliott Potter
Jared Mattsson
Patrick Sullivan
Company
Linq App
City
Birmingham
Downloads
42,200+
# of employees
20
Originally studying music, Elliott moved into tech after becoming fascinated with coding and automating manual tasks. He met co-founders Jared and Patrick at a tech startup. Working on a marketing tool, they realized how complicated it could be to share contact details with potential clients. So they created Linq, a digital business card for people to connect and swap details. Scanning a QR code instantly downloads a person’s profile to your phone. Linq has made big strides over the past year, with the founders securing large-scale investment and growing their team.
“We were just three guys around our kitchen table and now we have employees. I would encourage anybody with an idea to just try it”
Stories from Alabama
New
Jacek, Paul and Mark
DroidEFB
Huntsville, Alabama
New
Jennifer, Lindsey, Stewart, Brett and Kenny
Croux
Birmingham, Alabama
New
Gordon
Foxwood Astronomy
Decatur, Alabama
Ashlee and Kerry
Mixtroz
Birmingham, Alabama
Andrew and Nick
Random Logic Games
Birmingham, Alabama
Elliott, Jared and Patrick
Linq App
Birmingham, Alabama
Founder
Doug Bourne
Company
Audio Tour Alaska
City
Anchorage
Downloads
400+
# of employees
1
Doug fell in love with Alaska shortly after graduating from college. He became a tour guide at the famous Denali National Park before teaching at an Anchorage university. As much as he loved Alaska's culture of remote living, he also identified opportunities to integrate tech into areas where it was less common. After using a travel companion app while out of state, Doug resolved to create his own app to guide newcomers through the wonders of Alaska. Combining GPS functionality with fascinating audio narration, Audio Tour Alaska provides a guide to the state's history, culture, and wildlife. Doug has future updates planned to expand the app's functions and geographical range.
"Google Play has a huge worldwide market. That’s important to me, as I’m targeting people from overseas visiting the U.S. It’s a no-brainer"
Founder & CEO
Dan Newman
Company
Alaska Premier Auctions and Appraisals
City
Anchorage
Downloads
7,300+
# of employees
45
Dan started his career in tech production for news stations right out of high school. A decade later, he switched lanes professionally and attended auctioneer school, swiftly becoming a certified auctioneer. Combining his tech skills with a passion for auctioneering, he created Alaska Premier Auctions. This platform allows people to bid on everything from vehicles to jewelry, antiques, and collectibles. They recently moved to a 44,000-square-foot facility to accommodate their expanding inventory and meet growing demand. Looking forward, the team aims to expand into new markets and establish a physical footprint outside of Alaska.
"We take pride in being community-focused, engaged and responsive. We readily seize opportunities to demonstrate our commitment by saying: 'We're here for you and we'll take care of things'"
President
Rosita Ḵaaháni Worl
Company
Sealaska Heritage Institute
City
Juneau
Downloads
1,300+
# of employees
80
The traditional Southeast Alaskan tribal languages of Tlingit, Haida and Tsimshian had almost died out. With just a handful of birth speakers left, the Sealaska Heritage Institute - led by anthropologist and Alaska Native Dr. Rosita Worl - created an app to preserve them. Launched in 2014, SHI: Language Games uses interactive games and recorded voices to engage learners. Widely used in schools and by adults reconnecting with their heritage, the app was initially offered in Tlingit, with Haida and Tsimshian versions released in 2023. They also plan to introduce a virtual reality function, allowing people to immerse themselves in the culture and explore these historic communities further.
"Learning to fully accept our culture, art, and language has only come about in the last decade. It's a beautiful thing that we are now preserving our language and making it part of the public sphere"
Founder
Patrick Dulin
Company
Here and Now Systems
City
Anchorage
Downloads
600+
# of employees
2
Patrick wanted a modern way to tackle alcohol abuse. As a psychology professor and addiction therapist for over 20 years, he often sees problems go unnoticed because of the stigma surrounding alcoholism. So he created two apps: Step Away and Stand Down, confidential ‘management tools’ that help people spot and track triggers and issues, then change destructive behaviours. Tailored support encourages progress, and success is celebrated over time. Ongoing trials show that the apps work, helping to reduce drinking by up to 50%.
"A lot of people don’t want to go to a therapist. The stigma is huge. We are taking away the barriers. This is a way for people to privately get help right there on their phone"
Founder
Bob Kaufman
Company
Alaska.org
City
Anchorage
Downloads
1,700+
# of employees
3
Climbing Denali Mountain made Bob realize that in Alaska, local knowledge is everything. The trip inspired him to relocate and set up a company that shares local insights. He'd always felt that life is an adventure, and wanted others to have the same experience. With The Alaska App, people can get travel information and hear stories of the land and its people – as if they were chatting to a local. Over the past year, the growing number of independent travelers in Alaska has contributed to the app's popularity.
“You reach a whole different demographic with Google Play. There are young, adventurous people, who’ve never camped in a place like this, who’ll come to Alaska and hire someone to drop them off in the wilderness”
Founder
Ezra Jay
Company
Greenstand
City
Anchorage
Downloads
5,000+
# of employees
6
Greenstand is a non-profit organization and movement founded by Ezra, a medical response bush pilot. With the help of a vibrant open source community, they created an app to monitor the impact of tree-planting projects, and their app Treetracker follows the progress of newly-planted trees via geotagged photos. This helps to fight deforestation, and build transparency into tree-growing projects. Greenstand has around 60 active members plus several hundred contributors across the US and beyond. The Treetracker database currently contains over 2.1 million trees.
“Google Play is available in over 190 countries, and that was key. Android was always the common language and common operating system that allowed us to gain access to the farmer on the ground”
Stories from Alaska
New
Doug Bourne
Audio Tour Alaska
Anchorage, Alaska
New
Dan Newman
Alaska Premier Auctions and Appraisals
Anchorage, Alaska
New
Rosita Ḵaaháni Worl
Sealaska Heritage Institute
Juneau, Alaska
Patrick
Here and Now Systems
Anchorage, Alaska
Bob
Alaska.org
Anchorage, Alaska
Ezra
Greenstand
Anchorage, Alaska
Co-founders
Tedis Baboumian
and Nirit Rubenstein
Company
Dovly
City
Phoenix
Downloads
150,000+
# of employees
20
Nirit and Tedis both moved to the U.S. as children and witnessed firsthand how absent or low credit scores affected the options available to their immigrant parents. Later, as adults working in the finance industry, the pair discovered they shared the same dream: to help people take charge of their futures through better access to credit. With this goal in mind, they teamed up to create Dovly, an app where people can dispute errors on reports and boost scores. Dovly is expanding its suite of financial tools with two new offerings: Dovly Build, aimed at helping people improve reports, and Dovly Thrive, which will enable accounting novices to get ahead by establishing a credit history.
"Since launching on Google Play, we've seen our user base skyrocket, with hundreds of thousands embracing Dovly"
Founder
Ashley Nowe
Company
Get Mom Strong
City
Tucson
Downloads
30,700+
# of employees
2
When Ashley gave birth to twins, she suffered from diastasis recti - a common condition from pregnancy, which separates abdominal muscles and can cause back pain, pelvic pain and a visible bulge. She healed herself with pelvic floor physical therapy, but was shocked to discover this wasn’t commonly available to everyone. Now she's on a mission through her app, Get Mom Strong, to give access to rehabilitation and fitness plans to help moms heal and get strong. With more than 700 workouts as well as pregnancy, mobility, and Barre programs, Ashley plans to expand her offering to support those going through menopause.
"Google Play is honestly so easy to work with - whether it's getting approvals or doing updates. The team is great at answering questions, giving feedback and we always get a response within 24 hours"
Co-founders
Scott Quinn,
Mike Malaska
and Mitch Waerea
Company
Malaska Golf
City
Phoenix
Downloads
2,000+
# of employees
5
Mike has been involved in sports his entire life, transitioning from baseball to golf and finally to teaching, where his focus was on helping people translate their natural abilities into athletic success. After being named America's best professional golf teacher in 2011, Mike aimed to share his teaching style globally. He partnered with engineer Scott and creative marketer Mitch to develop Malaska Golf. The app guides beginners through the five-step process of learning golf, from picking up the club to building a proper swing, while also assisting experienced players refine their technique. Next, the team plans to allow golfers to upload videos of their swings for personalized tips and feedback.
"We're dedicated to helping people struggling with body aches or pains avoid poor instruction that could aggravate their injuries. We want them to be able to play golf without that pain"
Co-founder & ceo
Gregg Murset
Company
BusyKid
City
Scottsdale
Downloads
100,000+
# of employees
12
Gregg, a father of six and former financial planner, is passionate about instilling money confidence early on. His app BusyKid lets parents reward their children for chores like babysitting and lawn mowing. Money is added to the child’s account via bank transfer or credit card. Children are empowered to choose how much to save, spend, donate, or even invest. During the pandemic, with more children at home, BusyKid's usage flourished. The app also helps families to get their kids into good habits from a young age.
“The BusyPay feature is essentially a QR code a kid can show their neighbor after mowing their lawn, and have the neighbor pay them with a credit card. It facilitates kids being more entrepreneurial”
Founder & ceo
Gary Denham
Company
Wamba Studios
City
Scottsdale
Downloads
25,000+
# of employees
10
Gary was interviewing the original designer of Waffle Smash for a job. The designer told him the reason why he created the game - to help his son, who has cerebral palsy, with mobility and finger dexterity. Moved by this story, Gary offered to acquire the rights and work with the designer to overhaul and develop it. The app, featuring Waffleton the Waffle and his mischievous breakfast friends, is a connect-three game focusing on hand-eye coordination. Launched a few months ago, it’s already been played by tens of thousands of people around the world.
“As an entrepreneur, I can't ask for more. The core of any successful business is for people to see your product and easily acquire it. Google Play has empowered independent game makers to get world class distribution directly”
Co-founders
Ron Robertson
Ken Robertson
Company
Picmonic
City
Phoenix
Downloads
202,900+
# of employees
20
Studying for his medical board exams, Ron couldn’t remember much of what he’d learned in med school. Out of frustration, he created pictures and stories to help him remember tricky terminology. It worked, and he passed with flying colors. Keen to share his solution, he teamed up with his brother Ken to launch visual learning app Picmonic, with a mission to modernize education. The app, which now has four versions, helps medical students across 120 countries to learn and pursue their dreams. Picmonic was acquired in 2021 by online education platform TrueLearn.
“We get students telling us that Picmonic made the difference between them failing and passing exams, and that it enabled them to continue to pursue their dreams. That feels amazing to myself and the team”
Stories from Arizona
Co-founders
Brooke and David Condolora
Company
Brain&Brain
City
Rogers
Downloads
3,700+
# of employees
2
When graphic designer Brooke and film editor David saw a documentary about making video games, the pair were inspired to make their own titles together. Combining their creative skills, the duo started with Doggins, just for fun. The game's enthusiastic reception led the pair to work full-time on their game studio, Brain&Brain, and launch Burly Men at Sea. Based on the Scandinavian folklore Brooke grew up reading, the game's lovingly rendered visuals are inspired by Norwegian fishing villages. It follows the seafaring adventures of three bearded fishermen. Their next passion project, Raincaster, brings the same visual and mythical sensibilities to bear on the folk tales of the Ozarks where the pair currently live.
"Our games seem to generate a lot of joy in players. We've gotten emails from people saying how much our games mean to them, which makes us very happy"
Founder
Chris Thompson
Company
Empathy Health Tech
City
Bentonville
Downloads
450,000+
# of employees
5
When Chris was struggling with addiction, meeting the right group of people helped him achieve sobriety. Reflecting on how important these people were in his recovery journey inspired him to create Sober Sidekick, an app that takes people out of isolation and connects them to a supportive community. Dubbed the "empathy algorithm", as soon as someone posts on the app, they're connected to a volunteer ready to listen and offer their help. Dedicated to using data to improve recovery, the team recently built unique machine learning to predict relapse. Next, they're launching an accompanying program, Empathy Messenger, to offer even more support via group chats and one-on-one messaging.
"My mission is to create a world where people don't have to walk through their darkest moments alone"
Founder
Derrick Surratt
Company
Federal Forecasting App
City
Camden
Downloads
4,200+
# of employees
2
Ex-soldier Derrick first discovered federal contracts through an entrepreneur friend who had built wealth from nothing. When he achieved his own success through contracting, Derrick became determined to help others follow a similar path – particularly those from disenfranchised communities like disabled veterans and disadvantaged women. This led to the creation of the Federal Forecasting App, a platform that consolidates current and future contracting opportunities. The app has empowered small businesses and individuals to compete for and win multi-million dollar contracts. A recent update allows people to upload capability statements, showcasing what they have to offer. Derrick hopes to continually develop the app and help even more people realize their dreams.
"With the Google Play ecosystem, you have all your tools and analytics under one umbrella, where you can track everything and access it instantly"
Founder
Christina Bharara
Company
Christina Bharara
City
Rogers
Downloads
66,000+
# of employees
1
Christina, a self-taught developer, created her first app over a decade ago to learn Hindi, her husband’s native language. She then started blending the language lessons with simple games, finding that playing while learning incentivizes people. Her next game will be a love story set in India, with language quizzes at the end of each chapter. She also wants to revisit and develop her other published titles. For Christina, the joy of being an independent developer isn’t about the number of downloads, but the opportunity to be creative with no limits.
“I’m trying to see how people learn a language best. Having a little gamification in there, like solving the topics, helps people feel accomplished. They have an incentive to go back and learn more”
Founder
Ron E. Harbut, M.D, Ph.D
Company
Nanolume
City
Hot Springs
Downloads
3,000+
# of employees
1
After 28 years as a doctor, Ron had helped a lot of patients. He found, however, that many struggled to explain the nature and intensity of their pain. So he created Pain Tracker & Diary, an app that uses visual aids to record complex or chronic pain in a comprehensive way. The patient can show the diary to their doctor, and determine if treatment is working. Ron launched first in English-speaking countries, then expanded. He continues to develop the app based on feedback, and recently added a feature which lets people remotely submit pain data to physicians.
“Medically speaking, it allows patients to better understand what they feel, and allows me and other doctors to pick the best drugs to treat the type of pain they feel”
Co-founders
Justin French
Company
AngelEye Health
City
Little Rock
Downloads
67,300+
# of employees
39
Justin worked as a software developer at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences. Doctors and nurses in the university’s Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) saw how hard it was for new parents separated from their babies. Justin joined forces with the medical team, and they created a streaming video service, enabling parents to stay connected with their newborns when away from hospital. The AngelEye Mobile app started in the university hospital and is now available in 130 NICUs across the US. A recent new feature lets moms track and log their breast milk inventory, and parents chat with lactation support staff.
“It’s very difficult during a Neonatal Intensive Care Unit stay for families to be engaged with their baby, or engaged with the care team. Our role is to use technology to make that possible”
Stories from Arkansas
Founder
Bria Sullivan
Company
Honey B Games
City
Los Angeles
Downloads
3,757,200+
# of employees
1
Bria worked for some big names in the tech world, but wanted to start her own company based around what brings her joy. Bubble tea was something she always associated with good times with friends, and wanted to encapsulate that same feeling in Boba Story. In her game, players have to restore an old boba shop by designing the decor and a drinks menu, to serve bubble tea to cute characters inspired by Japanese anime. She recently added a garden with beekeeping to harvest honey, as well as a host of new boba flavours, teas and magic ingredients. A keen cook and baker herself, Bria hopes to release more cuisine-themed games in the future.
"I want to be an example for my community of someone who can live off of making fun things, own my own company which adhere to my ethics and my values, while also prioritizing my family"
Founder
Craig Tinsley
Company
Fresh Dope Games
City
Los Angeles
Downloads
37,800+
# of employees
1
Craig developed a passion for video games as a child. While at college, he decided to pursue a career in game development. Inspired by his own experience as a rapper — he’s been writing and performing since 1997 — he launched the game studio, Fresh Dope Games. Soon after followed the hip-hop-inspired releases, Rap Quest and Rap Quest 2. In these games, players learn how to write verses, simulate dungeon rap battles and top the charts, levelling up as they gain lyrical skills. Craig works as a mentor to black youth in technology creation and hopes the Rap Quest titles provide positive representation for hip hop culture. Next, he hopes to introduce one-on-one rap contests in his games and has a head brimming with ideas for new releases.
"Google Play made it possible for me to plug in different features to my game and test them out on a more frequent basis. In general, the publishing pipeline is easy without hurdles"
Co-founders
Atif Javed,
Sara Haj-Hassan
and Aziz Alghunaim
Company
Tarjimly
City
Mountain View
Downloads
48,300+
# of employees
12
Atif spent his childhood interpreting for his refugee grandmother, so he understands the pain of language barriers. He met Aziz at MIT and together they built a translation app to help during the height of the Syrian refugee crisis. It grew into Tarjimly: a free translation app used by doctors, aid workers, and NGOs worldwide. Social worker Sara, who supports refugee communities, joined their founding team. Tarjimly - meaning 'translate for me' in 12 languages - has over 60,000 volunteer translators in 150 languages, and the team provides paid work for around 100 refugee translators. They're now leveraging AI to increase their reach and grow Tarjimly's global language repertoire.
"Google Play has been absolutely critical in reaching refugee and immigrant communities around the world that need our language services"
Co-founders
Alice Mongkongllite
Michael Gao
Company
Chin and Cheeks
City
San Diego
Downloads
471,500+
# of employees
2
Married couple Alice and Michael were using an instruction book to train their dog Loki. Finding it impractical, they looked for an app instead – but struggled to find something that suited them. So, with the help of a celebrity dog-trainer, they created their own. Puppr breaks down training into easy-to-follow steps, from basic obedience like “sit” and “stay” to advanced tricks like “fetch leash”. Dog owners loved it, and it soon won the Google Play Editor’s Choice title. Recently, Alice and Michael added a feature that lets owners live-chat with pro trainers.
“Google Play, and just Android development tools in general have been very beneficial for us. Developing an app is not easy, but all the technologies just come together and that’s been amazing”
Founder
Jenova Chen
Company
Thatgamecompany
City
Santa Monica
Downloads
16,800,000+
# of employees
93
While studying at film school, Jenova asked himself a question: could a game make you cry like a movie could? With a mission to go against mainstream gaming and touch people’s humanity, he created thatgamecompany. His latest release, Sky: Children of the Light, is a peaceful social adventure. Players return fallen stars to their constellations by solving mysteries, making friends and helping others. Jenova wants to evoke emotions – like compassion and vulnerability – in his players, and many consider his games therapeutic. Sky is constantly evolving, with new attractions, seasonal events and expansion of levels.
“We never really think about inventing technology. We're trying to touch people's humanity, and technology enables us to do that. Over two billion people use smartphones, and they are craving more diverse content”
Founder
Ivana De Maria
Company
StoryPlace
City
Los Angeles
Downloads
26,000+
# of employees
4
After graduating in Business and Law, Ivana moved from Boston to LA – where she now works as an actress, producer and entrepreneur. Her love for true stories led her to her create StoryPlace: an online community where people can share their stories in a simple journaling style. The app also runs competitions, giving contributors the chance to have their stories adapted for content. StoryPlace now has 30,000+ stories worldwide, with one movie, three TV shows, a book and a podcast currently in development. Next, Ivana plans to add e-learning tools to help people improve their storytelling skills.
“The main audience is usually people who want to express themselves, but don't. People who maybe don't feel like their voice matters in other spaces. That's a very important thing I've seen.”
Stories from California
New
Bria
Honey B Games
Los Angeles, California
New
Craig
Fresh Dope Games
Los Angeles, California
New
Atif, Sara and Aziz
Tarjimly
Mountain View, California
Michael and Alice
Chin and Cheeks
San Diego, California
Jenova
Thatgamecompany
Santa Monica, California
Ivana
StoryPlace
Los Angeles, California
Co-founders
John Gribbin,
Laura Seago
and Erich Luedtke
Company
Curable
City
Denver
Downloads
170,900+
# of employees
8
Laura, Erich and John have all experienced chronic pain in their lives, which was what bonded them as work colleagues and friends. Under John's lead, the trio began practicing various alternative therapeutic techniques to reduce their pain and over time saw their conditions improve. Empowered and inspired, they wanted to share what they'd learned, combining their skill sets to launch Curable. The app offers a guided recovery program for chronic pain sufferers, using a wide range of science-backed techniques including cognitive behavioral therapy and meditation. They recently launched a subscription plan for healing video workshops, and are continuously working toward their goal of helping as many people as possible get relief from persistent pain.
"We're providing the tools that can empower people to heal themselves. They're really the ones doing the healing work — but the impact has been extraordinary"
Founder
Clint Bounds
Company
Plan to Eat
City
Loveland
Downloads
186,700+
# of employees
4
With two young kids at home, Clint and his wife were determined to eat well, save money on groceries and organize their meal schedule. This inspired him to polish his programming skills and build Plan to Eat, an app which combines recipes, a calendar and a shopping list so families can stay on top of meal planning. People love how it takes the stress out of food shopping and scheduling the week’s dinners. They recently added nutritional analysis so parents can gauge how healthy their food shops and meals are. Next, they plan to incorporate health coaches, allowing people to make even better nutritional choices.
"Having a plan of what to shop for, what you're going to eat, it removes a lot of stress. You're basically paying your future self a favor"
Founder
James Eberhard
Company
Fluid Truck
City
Denver
Downloads
100,000+
# of employees
174
A naturally curious person driven by innovation, James has a series of successful companies to his name. While launching a tool and equipment rental platform, he identified a surging demand for commercial vehicles. This sparked a shift in focus, leading to the creation of Fluid Truck. The app allows everyone from pop-up florists to global business giants to hire a single van, truck or a fleet of vehicles with just a few clicks. James has recently transitioned out of the company. Looking forward, the Fluid Truck team is working with major partners to help in zero-emission deliveries.
"Google Play analytics are super helpful for seeing where your downloads are coming from. This allows us to tailor the app to better reach its audience"
Founder
Daniel Miller
Company
Daily Workout Apps
City
Steamboat Springs
Downloads
42,000,000+
# of employees
1
In 2009, Dan quit his job as a manufacturing engineer to be a stay-at-home dad with newborn twins. As they grew older, he craved a new challenge and wanted to get fit. So he taught himself basic coding and built an app, Daily Ab Workout. People loved it, and Dan ended up translating it into 35 languages. He now has 14 apps on Google Play, and his flagship app Daily Workouts has over 10 million downloads. It features short, step-by-step videos to target and strengthen the major muscle groups.
“I just jumped into it. I didn't have a developer background and I quit a good job to try this idea in app development. It really worked out and it's been an incredible journey”
Co-founders
Om Gupta
Dmitry Nikolenko
Company
CryptoBees
City
Parker
Downloads
3,500,000+
# of employees
3
Om and Dmitry were colleagues at a software engineering company. One day over lunch, they were talking about how tedious and inefficient they found some of their tasks. They decided to take action, and set about building an app. miMind is a simple but powerful mind-mapping tool for organizing thoughts, laying out schemes, and sharing them with friends and co-workers. It helps people to be more productive in a fun, visual way. Om and Dmitry developed miMind using their own technology, which they recently made available to other developers.
“Google Play has been our primary tool to reach people because we haven’t had any funds for marketing but we still managed to move to the top of our category”
Co-founders
Matt Larson
Rustin Banks
Company
Human Improvement Project
City
Boulder
Downloads
1,200,000+
# of employees
4
Matt is a philanthropist and serial tech entrepreneur. One day he posed a question to fellow CEO Rustin: what’s the single most important thing we could do to improve our families’ wellbeing? To find answers, they founded the Human Improvement Project, working with leading psychologists and neuroscientists on research that led to creating In Love While Parenting and The Happy Child. The apps – translated into 15 languages – offer free insights and lessons to help couples develop lasting relationships while raising happy, well-adjusted children. Matt’s next goal is to partner with organizations to reach as many families as possible.
“Google Play has helped us reach a global audience from financially bigger markets to lower income ones. In our perspective, every child’s worth is exactly the same and we want to reach people where they are”
Stories from Colorado
Founder
Peter Keefe
Company
Planter
City
Mansfield
Downloads
217,000+
# of employees
2
Peter thrived in his role as a mechanical engineer for nuclear submarines. However, a burning desire to work remotely propelled him into the world of coding. A passionate gardener, he developed Planter: an intuitive app that streamlines garden planning through a drag-and-drop interface. With a vast selection of herbs and vegetables, Planter advises people on optimal plant positioning and scheduling. It also provides support for people worried about pests and diseases. Peter has big plans for the future, as he hopes to tailor the app to more countries, roll out notifications, and add flowers.
"More than half of our audience find the app on Google Play, and they are a very diverse set of people from outside and inside the United States"
Founder
Bienvenido David III
Company
TeamEXtension
City
Seymour
Downloads
6,800+
# of employees
10
Bienvenido's mission is simple – to encourage more kindness. As a programmer, he founded his own company and had been making corporate apps for years. After a period of self-reflection, BeKind was born. BeKind sets people daily kindness challenges, ranging from simple tasks like calling a parent to checking on a neighbor. The app is a hub to share acts of kindness with friends, read daily positive news stories, and earn charming badges - like 'Dreamer' and 'Good Egg' - for their good deeds. Bienvenido has partnered with universities and businesses to create customizable versions of BeKind and is planning to increase his marketing to spread the good vibes further.
"I'm a spiritual person and I was thinking about life and about loving others, loving nature, loving animals – I feel like we need more of that"
Founder
Mike Falk
Company
RDH Software
City
Windsor
Downloads
2,850,000+
# of employees
1
Mike originally trained as an electrical engineer, but found his true calling in software development. He spent years building apps for large companies, but decided to branch out on his own in order to experiment with the Android operating system. While out on his bicycle, Mike noticed the inaccuracy of standard GPS altitude readings, inspiring him to create My Elevation. The app identifies the ground level at any point on the planet, which is invaluable information for hikers, cyclists and anyone curious about topography. Next, he hopes to add an offline mode, allowing people to determine their elevation even when they're unable to connect to the internet.
"The entire Google Play toolset is great for understanding what's working and what's not. It allows for deep dives to identify and fix any issues"
Founder
William King
Company
Night Cat Productions
City
Clinton
Downloads
4,800,000+
# of employees
1
William caught the technology bug while working as a marine engineer. He studied computer science and, after helping a friend build an app, started searching for his own idea. A colleague’s ironic comment about some terrible weather provided the spark. What the Forecast?! is a weather app that tells you, with a healthy dose of humor, what it’s like outside. William’s company Night Cat Productions now has three titles, including What the Future?! and Back Seat Navigator.
“I feel like if I can make people laugh – a little bit – then somebody’s life is a little bit better than it was”
Co-founders
Nick
Jessica
Alex Ortner
Company
The Tapping Solution
City
Newtown
Downloads
588,000+
# of employees
18
Nick is a filmmaker, writer and now, app developer. In 2007, he made a documentary about “tapping” therapy – also known as Emotional Freedom Technique – which combines modern psychology with ancient Chinese acupressure. His follow-up book became a bestseller, but Nick realized that an app would be the most effective way to reach more people. With the help of his siblings Jessica and Alex, Nick created The Tapping Solution. The app now features 400+ meditations for lowering stress, improving sleep, relieving pain, and more.
“Therapists and coaches working with clients say ‘When I'm not there at 2am, on a Tuesday night, and my client has an anxiety attack, they can use this tool to feel better.’ That's what motivates us”
Founder
Viva Chu
Company
Good Boy Studios
City
Greenwich
Downloads
794,000+
# of employees
16
Viva studied computer science and always had a fascination for games. When he got his new puppy, Coder, he couldn’t help flooding social media with pictures. Seeing the joy people got from sharing, Viva decided to use his developer skills to create something fun for the community. Pet Parade is a photo contest app that lets owners play games and share pictures of their pets – from cats and dogs to parrots and hamsters. Photos with a high “cuteness score” earn rewards, such as toys, treats and gift cards from pet supply stores.
“Having Pet Parade within Google Play, where we can see the reviews, is really great. The tools are great too; being able to test different marketing messages, images and videos is very important to us”
Stories from Connecticut
New
Peter Keefe
Planter
Mansfield, Connecticut
New
Bienvenido David III
TeamEXtension
Seymour, Connecticut
New
Mike Falk
RDH Software
Windsor, Connecticut
William
Night Cat Productions
Clinton, Connecticut
Nick, Jessica and Alex
The Tapping Solution
Newtown, Connecticut
Viva
Good Boy Studios
Greenwich, Connecticut
Founder
Vitalii Petrosyan
Company
Langly
City
Lewes
Downloads
46,000+
# of employees
24
A 12-year mobile development expert, Vitalii speaks four languages and is passionate about bringing international collaborators together. His company, Langly, unites team members from across the U.S. and Europe and has many successes with translation tools. Recognizing the popularity of translation apps for language study, Vitalii and his team created Langly - Word Games & Learning. The app transforms language learning into a series of engaging free games - helping people grow their vocabulary, improve their grammar and boost their speaking confidence. Students can use Langly to perfect their English skills across various proficiency levels, with even more content planned for the future.
"The Google Play Store is a great place to interact with our audience around the world. I love all that we can do with Google"
Co-founders
Joe Brew,
Iulian Circo,
and Paul Rieger
Company
Hyfe
City
Wilmington
Downloads
65,000+
# of employees
22
Iulian's experience in global humanitarian and public health set the stage for his collaboration with co-founders Joe and Paul, whom he met on projects in India and Africa respectively. The trio realized that while there are clear metrics for measuring body temperature and blood pressure, it was difficult to find tools for assessing coughs. This inspired them to create CoughPro, where people can track cough frequency and patterns, obtaining concise data to their healthcare provider. The team's vision is to use this information to predict medical events and even point to a diagnosis. Looking ahead, they aim to incorporate behavioral therapy for chronic coughs as well as introduce a wearable device to better monitor respiratory health.
"Listing on Google Play proved to be one of the best things we've done. We got our model into the hands of thousands of people all over the world. This has given us the opportunity to gain high-quality, highly diversified data"
Founder
Josie Liz
Company
The Josie App
City
Wilmington
Downloads
9,000+
# of employees
1
Josie, a social media aficionado, started as a blogger and quickly transitioned noticing the shift towards video content creation. As a youth gymnastics and dance trainer, she grew inspired to translate her passion for exercise and digital media into The Josie App. Built and run single-handedly, the platform offers a library of follow-along workouts and live streams. A mom of four and a grandma, Josie targets an audience of women aged 30 to 70 and focuses on creating a supportive community around the app. She recently introduced monthly challenges and is planning a new series specifically designed to address abdominal muscle separation during pregnancy.
"My childhood was tough, but there was always this voice in my head saying there's something better for you. It drove me to not settle and accept my circumstances and always push for something more"
Co-founders
Sam Dolbel
Company
SINC
City
Wilmington
Downloads
158,000+
# of employees
10
Sam used to run construction companies, and often wondered how to log hours worked by employees spread across multiple sites. With no software available, he decided to create his own. The SINC Time Clock app lets employees keep track of their hours, and employers monitor tasks performed. This saves tons of time and paperwork, and gives insights to help with quoting for projects. With many construction companies moving to multi-site working, the app has seen significant growth. In 2021, SINC logged 5 million employee shifts from 6000+ businesses around the world.
“You don’t need a technical background. You can just teach yourself everything now on the internet. While it’s a super complicated problem that we’re solving, it’s not as out of reach as people might think”
Founder & ceo
Surinder Sharma
Company
Smart Kidz Club
City
Bear
Downloads
476,000+
# of employees
5
Surinder worked for many years in the publishing industry. Her second child wasn’t that interested in books – and Surinder, an avid reader - wanted to change that. So she started Smart Kidz Club as a passion project for her kids’ school. Soon it became her primary business. An educational content platform, the app offers content such as read-to-me eBooks, learning games and toddler sing-alongs. Surinder now has three apps, and her library of 1,000+ books and 5,000+ resources is updated regularly based on parent feedback.
“In fourth-grade classes across the whole USA, 65% of kids are below proficient in reading. So we hope that every parent can use our app to actually bring up the reading levels of their kids”
Founder
Vivek Dave
Company
RV App Studios
City
Wilmington
Downloads
370,000,000+
# of employees
55
When his daughter was born, Vivek already had a successful game company. But as a new dad, his perspective on life changed. He wanted his daughter to be empowered, and knew this would begin with a strong education. Inspired to help her and other families, Vivek and his team started creating free educational games alongside their revenue-making apps. The popular Puzzle Kids features animal-themed shape matching, guess-the-object and jigsaws. Vivek often hears stories of success, such as non-verbal kids who start talking because of his games, or illiterate adults learning math.
“I am lucky I have been able to bring my passion and purpose together, and I am able to make a living out of it”
Stories from Delaware
Co-founders
Anu
and Raj Bhaskar
Company
Hurdlr
City
Washington
Downloads
427,800+
# of employees
16
As immigrants from India, Raj and Anu's parents worked hard to succeed with various small businesses. Motivated by their parents' entrepreneurial spirit, the tech-focused brothers created Hurdlr: an app that assists in financial management by simplifying receipt capture, expense logging and profit tracking. With its easy-to-understand interface, the app has helped drivers and couriers, and allowed small business owners to take control of their reporting. Dedicated to the Hurdlr community, they want to develop the app well into the future by building in enhancements at people's request and perfecting their automation features.
"I love the stuff we're doing; it's fun. I was just in a taxi to the airport and the driver asked me what I do. He told me that he uses accounting software on his phone. He showed it to me, and it was our app"
Founder
Jonathan Mills
Company
VetsApp
City
Washington
Downloads
167,500+
# of employees
1
After a decade in the U.S. Air Force specializing in technology and satellite communications, Jonathan noticed a glaring issue. His fellow veterans struggled with accessing healthcare and benefits, which were scattered across various websites and organizations. Determined to address this gap, he created VetsApp - offering veterans a streamlined route towards services: including job fairs, benefits applications, appointment scheduling and telehealth, and veteran discounts from major retailers. Recent updates include two calculators: one for determining disability ratings and the other for estimating compensation. Next, Jonathan plans to add features that will help veterans and their families automatically discover available discounts and flag overspending.
"Because I am a veteran, it's a privilege to have created the app for other veterans. I don't consider it work, it's something I love."
Co-founders
Tyler Ewing,
Jordan Bookey
and Felix Lloyd
Company
Beanstack
City
Washington
Downloads
421,000+
# of employees
38
Felix's passion for shaping young minds started when he became a teacher straight out of college. After being named DC Teacher of the Year, Felix and his wife Jordan starred on a popular investment television series where they showcased an online resource for children's books tailored to their likes and needs. With instant backing, the pair later founded Beanstack, a reading motivation app for schools and libraries which gamifies learning with challenges and competitions. A recently added feature allows institutions to connect their Beanstack accounts, boosting participation. Next, the team plans to build a 'create your own goal' element which allows people to set their own personalized challenges.
"Our three values as a company are awesomeness, love and inclusion, and it feels like Google Play is aligned to those values"
Founder
Justin Park
Company
Intergalactic Education
City
Washington
Downloads
2,000+
# of employees
2
Since he was a teenager, Justin wanted to make video games. So he taught himself to code and went on to study computer science. His company, Intergalactic Education, creates games focused on space, science and math. It now has five apps, in which players can learn about launching rockets, discover new planets, and play sports in a microgravity arena. Justin works in partnership with schools in the local area, inspiring kids to learn useful skills, be curious about space and – of course – have fun.
“We're trying to teach kids that if they study hard, they can go into the space industry when they graduate”
Cto
Frederick Schaedtler
Company
Rails-to-Trails Conservancy
City
Washington
Downloads
100,000+
# of employees
50
An outdoor enthusiast, Frederick works for Rails-to-Trails Conservancy and oversees the TrailLink app – a database of public paths created from former railroad corridors. His team has converted geospatial data of these trails into over 40,000 miles of mapped paths. Using this data, TrailLink allows people to discover trails nearby for cycling, jogging and walking. Since the pandemic, more people are looking for local outdoor activities – and most trails found in the app are urban, multi-use and accessible. TrailLink has filters for terrain, distance, use, popularity, and people can upload reviews and photos to share with friends.
“We wanted to cater for all audiences and be as inclusive as possible, so it was a no-brainer to add the TrailLink app in Google Play for everyone”
Founder
DeShuna Elisa Spencer
Company
kweliTV
City
Washington
Downloads
14,300+
# of employees
2
With her background in journalism, DeShuna isn’t a typical tech founder. Frustrated by the lack of Black representation on-screen, she decided to do something about it. She created kweliTV, a streaming service that acts as a platform for Black voices. It works with 430+ global filmmakers – 91% of African heritage, and 50% women. Over the past year kweliTV has doubled in size, and is currently adding 20 new titles a month. The team is working on adding a chat feature, as well as crowdfunding for its filmmakers.
“Google Play has played a huge role in us getting to the next level. In the past year it helped us boost our subscriber base”
Stories from District Of Columbia
New
Anu and Raj
Hurdlr
Washington, District of Columbia
New
Jonathan
VetsApp
Washington, District of Columbia
New
Tyler, Jordan and Felix
Beanstack
Washington, District of Columbia
Justin
Intergalactic Education
Washington, District of Columbia
Frederick
Rails-to-Trails Conservancy
Washington, District of Columbia
DeShuna
kweliTV
Washington, District of Columbia
Co-founders
Nicki Tessler and
Mandeep Dhillon
Company
BeMe Health
City
Miami
Downloads
167,500+
# of employees
44
Nicki is a trained psychologist with two teenage daughters. She noticed that the mental health industry wasn't connecting with Gen Z. So she teamed up with Mandeep, an attorney and child technology advocate. Together, they created BeMe, an app just for teens. On BeMe, teens can track their moods, learn how to manage their emotions, and set goals for themselves. Built alongside a teen advisory board, Nicki and Mandeep's goal is to use technology to help all teens become the best versions of themselves. Next, they want to go global and extend the audience age to 22 and help young adults navigate more of their early adult years.
"Being available on Google Play gives us access to the most important cohort to us: Gen Z and Gen Alpha. It's a support vehicle that's been tremendous for us"
Co-founders
Henrik Anderson and
Jessica Facusse
Company
Little Lunches
City
Miami
Downloads
440,000+
# of employees
2
In his youth, Henrik, a former professional hockey player and triathlete, always prioritized health and wellness. This passion extended to his wife, Jessica, a professional chef. When their family grew, Jessica began sharing the healthy meals she prepared for their children on social media. Her posts resonated with many, inspiring the couple to transform those posts into an app; Little Lunches. Developed with guidance from dietitians and pediatricians, Little Lunches offers parents personalized meal plans, a trove of healthy recipes, and expert advice on child nutrition. The couple recently launched a companion social network for parents to connect with each other. Henrik and Jessica also plan to use AI technology to further extend the tailored dietary advice.
"We just really wanted to get to the root of the problem, empower parents to make healthier choices and show them how accessible healthy foods aren’t as intimidating as you think"
Co-founders
Alexander Max Kaplan
and Italo Roldo
Company
Linguado
City
Miami
Downloads
2,600,000+
# of employees
10
While traveling around Brazil, linguist Alexander realized that a native tongue was vital to understanding a culture. During his trip, a chance encounter with business entrepreneur and Silicon Valley native Italo, led him on a path to creating a solution for struggling tourists like himself. Years later, while Alexander was visiting Italo's business in Portugal, the pair bridged the gap between language and business to form Linguado. More than a mere translator app, Linguado is focused on cultural exchange, matching people to native speakers filtered by nationality, language, and even region. Next, the team is working on Linguado Passport - a pocket guide for travelers, including flight information, accommodation, and local slang phrases.
"I think there's a lot of incentives with Google Play which can help startups, especially for early-stage companies. When we want to get builds of the app approved and released, it's so easy"
Co-founders
Gustavo Rodriguez
Juan Pablo Mejia
Company
BabySparks
City
Miami
Downloads
4,655,800+
# of employees
18
When former investment banker Gustavo became a parent, he learned that 85% of a child’s brain is fully developed within their first three years. He wanted the best start for his son, but couldn’t find resources tailored to his needs, including possible developmental delays. So he partnered with Juan – who’d had plenty of startup experience – to create BabySparks. The app allows parents to track their baby’s developmental milestones, offering personalized daily activity programs plus research-based articles. Recently, BabySparks added a premium feature that lets parents talk directly to experts.
“The most rewarding aspect of our work is we're democratising access to support and having lifelong impact on millions of children and families”
Co-founders
Mike Newman
Sharon Newman
Company
Big Duck Games
City
Miami
Downloads
253,400,000+
# of employees
4
While working at a big tech company, husband and wife Mike and Sharon started developing apps as a side project. As they realized they could make money doing something fun and creative, their hobby became a career. Within months of launching, their simple but addictive puzzle game Flow Free was number one in the US. The aim is to match colors with pipes to create a flow – without pipes overlapping (otherwise they’ll break). Big Duck Games now has eight titles on Google Play, and over 250 million downloads.
“This game was our first child. We made it and it's had quite a lot of impact and enjoyment for players. It's lasted way longer than we could have ever expected. It's been amazing to do it”
Co-founders
Jonathan Meson
Marcos Meson
Company
Visual Blasters
City
Miami
Downloads
39,600,000+
# of employees
7
When brothers Jonathan and Marcos were kids, they’d spend hours splicing VHS tapes to create stop-motion animations. Now, their company’s most popular app FlipaClip makes this process easy, and is loved by people around the world. It lets you quickly learn photo or frame animation, draw pictures and turn them into gifs – then share what you’ve made on social media. Recently, the brothers launched Animatics: contests to challenge the creator community. Despite millions of downloads, they feel they’ve only scratched the surface, and have big things planned for the app.
“What keeps me motivated is the work of the creators who enjoy our app. It is pure entertainment and exciting to see”
Stories from Florida
Founder
Marcus Blackwell
Company
Marcus Blackwell
City
Atlanta
Downloads
10,000+
# of employees
1
Marcus has played the piano since he was little and enjoys different genres, from classical jazz to gospel music. But despite thriving musically, he was intimidated by math at school. This struggle inspired him to create what he wished he’d had growing up: a creative way to practice math that rewards you with music. On Make Music Count, kids of all ages use the piano to learn their multiplication tables, fractions and algebra. Believing math resources should be available to all, Marcus recently made the app completely free. And, as both subjects are universal, he hopes to scale globally to help as many young people as possible hone their math skills through music.
"The ability to make quick app updates on Google Play is the best feature. It means you can keep your audience engaged and keep things exciting within the app"
Founder
Quin Christian
Company
Fyouture
City
Atlanta
Downloads
141,000+
# of employees
1
During the pandemic, Quin reflected on his own mortality and the legacy he would leave behind. Concerned about not being there for his children in the future, he decided to record his advice to them in voice messages. These messages covered various areas of life, including finances and relationships. This concept inspired Fyouture, an app that allows people to schedule voice messages for loved ones. The new "predictions" feature gives users a fun way to predict upcoming events such as sports results and stock market fluctuations. Next: Quin is looking for an established space partner to send physical Fyouture messages into space by 2028.
"I wanted to start capturing memories and sending them to the future so that my kids can get them at an age that's more appropriate for them"
Founder
Anatoly Lubarsky
Company
x2line
City
Atlanta
Downloads
5,400,000+
# of employees
2
Anatoly's path to game developer was unconventional. He did not grow up a gamer. Yet his love of visual design and software development led him to create many web and mobile-based games. His most successful title is Baby Adopter, where people babysit and dress up virtual children. This game was a hit with a diverse range of players from new parents to retirees. Anatoly has since become an expert in game development, building interactive experiences for avid players and non-gamers alike. His next project is aimed at teenagers, and uses clothing design and make-up elements in an engaging role-playing game.
"Google Play allows me to closely monitor how my games are performing and how people are using them. I can fix issues quickly, and that's so helpful"
Co-founders
Christian Zimmerman
Nate Washington
Company
Qoins
City
Atlanta
Downloads
11,360+
# of employees
10
Christian and Nate know what it means to struggle financially. Christian was the first in his family to finish college, and after graduation he could barely pay his student loan or personal debts. Nate couldn’t afford to go to school, and for a while had to sleep in his car. After meeting at a networking event and sharing stories, they decided to create an app. Qoins is a personal debt manager offering tools and advice to help build healthy money habits. So far, it's enabled thousands of people to pay off over $20 million of debt.
“We're just a tool for making those changes in your financial life, to make better decisions. And I did that for myself, but that's what we're doing for our customers as well”
Co-founders
Jenna Jambeck
Company
Southeast Atlantic Marine Debris Initiative
City
Athens
Downloads
92,500+
# of employees
2
Environmental engineer Jenna always loved technology. She took computer programming classes as a kid, at a time when girls weren’t encouraged to pursue tech. She developed the Marine Debris Tracker app after seeing colleagues struggle to manage data on ocean waste. It allows volunteers to report the litter they find in oceans and waterways – such as plastic bags, straws and fishing gear. This information is now helping policy-makers and businesses take action. Since the app was put on Google Play, over 5 million debris items have been logged in 90+ countries.
“Yes, I had this idea, but it's so much bigger than me now. Many people are engaging with it. That's special. And it wouldn't have happened, honestly, without a platform like Google Play”
Co-founders
Hannah Lucas
Charlie Lucas
Company
Bee & Bug
City
Atlanta
Downloads
18,400+
# of employees
2
Diagnosed with a chronic illness that causes fainting spells, Hannah was bullied and sexually threatened at school. She found herself unable to cope and, following a suicide attempt, came up with the idea for an app. Her brother Charlie is a self-taught coder and built the prototype, aged just 12 at the time. notOK is a digital panic button to get someone immediate support via text, phone call or GPS. The kids pitched it to their mom, and the family hired developers to work with Charlie. Today Hannah is 19, in college, and CEO of this non-profit.
“I made this app for my sister, and what motivates me is never having to see anyone go through what she did. She had zero support because no one knew”
Stories from Georgia
Founder
Adriel Almirol
Company
Starch Digital
City
Honolulu
Downloads
40,300+
# of employees
2
Growing up in Silicon Valley, Adriel fell in love with tech and video games from a young age. He had a budding career testing games for a major developer and worked in video production for an arcade company. However, the paradigm shift of the pandemic prompted Adriel to learn software and game development to create his own title: First Person Hooper. The game combines his love of arcade games and basketball with lush retro graphics. This, and the expertly simulated mechanics of the jump shot on touchscreen has made First Person Hooper a hit with fans. Next, Adriel is focusing on another basketball release that focuses on the three-point shot.
"Because basketball is such an international sport now, I wanted to be able to reach people everywhere. That’s why I released the game on Google Play"
Founder
Jean David Hsu
Company
Panic
City
Kailua-Kona
Downloads
35,000+
# of employees
2
Growing up in the south of France, Jean got his first computer at 12, sparking a life-long love of technology. While working in the U.S. as an engineer and traveling frequently, he was often frustrated by the limitations of online maps and found it difficult to find the most exciting places. This gave him the idea for AI Map: an app that uses artificial intelligence to offer personalized insights and recommendations for landmarks, restaurants, and attractions. Now living in Hawaii and enjoying fishing and swimming in the sea, Jean's next goal is to enhance the app with advanced AI to further improve the travel experience.
"I travel a lot and I'm always looking to find out where things are happening. I created AI Map to get the most out of my visits to new places"
Founder
Tina Fitch
Company
Hobnob
City
Haiku
Downloads
500,000+
# of employees
5
Tina worked for nonprofit NGOs overseas and built a travel tech company based in San Francisco. After returning to her home state of Hawaii, starting a farm and having children, she turned her attention to helping develop the startup community there. Noticing how people spend more and more time on social media but often struggle to effectively organize plans with friends and large gatherings, she was inspired to create Hobnob. In the app, hosts can craft beautiful personalized invites for their event and send them digitally. Recently, she added chat features, photo and video sharing options to build anticipation for meet-ups and help people foster more happy memories together.
"Google Play offers a highly responsive team that consistently supports app optimization across the platform. We look forward to a continued close collaboration with Google to achieve our future goals"
Founder
Mark Watkins
Company
The Hawaii Project
City
Kailua
Downloads
7,800+
# of employees
1
Mark has always been an avid reader. He gave his teenage son a copy of one of his favorite books – but it sat unread on the shelf. Ten years later, living far away in Chicago, Mark’s son finally picked up the novel and started to read. They began discussing it, texting back and forth. Inspired by this, Mark created Bookship, a virtual book club app that gives people a shared reading experience. Readers can meet online to discuss books, browse recommendations, post photos of favorite passages, and connect with authors.