Although everyday apps are being built in our backyard, the everyday Bostonian wouldn't realize it.
Consider the runners you see sprinting along the Esplanade during your morning commute. How many know the tool they're using to track their daily routine is RunKeeper's newest, FitBit-destroying app Breeze, a fitness companion being built in Downtown Boston?
When Tom O'Keefe, the man behind the Twitter handle @BostonTweet, heard a user say she loved the app but didn't know RunKeeper was from Boston, O'Keefe sprinted into action. He launched #DownloadBoston in January, a local movement meant to increase the awareness of local startups, both within city limits and beyond.
"My goal with #DownloadBoston has always been to target the average Bostonian who isn't a part of the tech community, but has a smartphone and would be interested in knowing what great consumer startups are based in Boston," explained O'Keefe in an email to BostInno.
To further help achieve that goal, O'Keefe is bringing the apps to the cafés the average Bostonian already goes to. The Capital One 360 Café, with locations in Back Bay and Downtown Crossing, has agreed to host an "Appy Hour," complete with their signature Peet's Coffee.
For one week a month, the coffee shop will feature a #DownloadBoston startup on their TV screens from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. And if learning about new apps wasn't enough, Capital One 360 Café will also be serving up free coffee Monday through Friday, from noon to 2 p.m., to folks who have the spotlighted app featured on their phone.
O'Keefe was approached by Abner Rodriguez, the digital innovator at Capital One 360 Café, with the idea for Appy Hour after the two worked on a marketing campaign together in November.
"He actually had all of his associates who work the café floor download a handful of the #DownloadBoston startups so they could recommend them to their customers," O'Keefe shared. "That is awesome."
The first app to be featured will be Breeze, and to O'Keefe, it's a win for the coffee shop, the customer and the RunKeeper team. The customer is awarded free coffee and discovers an up-and-coming Boston startup; RunKeeper receives new users; and the café attracts what could potentially become repeat customers.
"In my opinion, I think it makes 360 look very cool for being one of the first cafés/retailers to support Boston startups in a very visible and creative manner," O'Keefe added, saying he hopes the move inspires other brick-and-mortar locations to do the same.
Considering we're trying to #StartBostonUp, we can't disagree.
Image via Capital One 360 - Boston Facebook
