CHENNAI: App development is a growing canvas for students to express their talents and interest in many entrepreneurial and business ventures, in the city. “Chennai is coming up on the app radar after Bangalore and Delhi in terms of app development especially with colleges fostering entrepreneurial and development ventures through incubators. While colleges like VIT , IIT and smaller ones have incubators. the next best comes from the small development teams, both of which form over 40% of the app development community in the city, says CR Venkatesh, CEO, Dotcom Infoways.
The proof is out there. “Ideas were aplenty from students side at the recently concluded Global Mobile App Summit(GMASA) with over 75% of the entries at the student app fest coming from city colleges” says Archana, an organising committee member at the conference.Among the top institutions supporting both app development and entrepreneurial growth of students are the technology incubators of two college which is the VIT -Technology Business Incubator which has 11 current projects and IIT-Madras Incubation cell which has over 8 student incubated projects.
Becoming an app developer is quite with a Google Developers Account available for `1500 ($25). But, be warned it will involve a whole lot of scrutiny from Google’s end, if your app has to make it to the app marketplace on Android or iOS both as free or paid apps. The availability of free Massive Online Open Courses(MOOC) also help student entrepreneurs give shape to their ideas even if they don’t know coding. “Designing an app is simple though tedious, I used fluid UI which helped design an interface for Ghar ka Khaana a home delivery app which was supposed to be an aggregation for people wanting home food. The prototype took 7 -8 hours over 3 days to design which was quite nice as it gave shape to an app- centric business for entrepreneurs ventures, says Anitha V, a journalism graduate who tried her hand at app design at a pitchfest in Delhi.
Chennai’s App-way to Fame
RAFT(helps finding the best MTC bus for the route where you want to travel) designed by IIT-M graduates Siddharth Krishnaswamy, Krishna Chaitanya and Akhilesh Koppineni
CLOZZERR- helps users avail discounts available at restaurants (Designed by IIT M students Rahul KR and Team)
Catchmecop developed by Shravan Kumaran (14) and his younger sibling Sanjay Kumaran (12), who are are perhaps India’s youngest entrepreneurs with 11 apps that are available on the Apple App Store and Play Store
“Coding can be fun. People have start-up ideas these days and most are coming to the understanding that one don’t have to have a business venture to make an app,” she says. “Most developers should look towards workability, scalability, long term support, a revenue model that will sustain momentum & monetisation as well as user experience adds Archana.