New interactive app map to be released for CMU students
New interactive app map to be released for CMU students
By Erick Fredendall
Central Michigan University students will be able to fire up a new app in Feburary 2015.
The mobile app, created by Bizdom supported start-up Guidesmob, will be an interactive map of Central Michigan University and the surrounding community, providing information on transportation options, food, basic services, nightlight and more.
CMU alumni and Chief Operating Officer Jay Peitsch collaborated with the CMU chapter of the American Marketing Association last fall to discuss ways to engage students and market the app to local businesses.
Peitsch graduated CMU in 2009 with a major in sports management and a minor in business. He said he drew some of his inspiration for the app while in Mount Pleasant. He said the experiences here at Central inspired him to bring back the project to his alma-mater.
"I participated in the Make-A-Pitch competition in 2008. I pitched a website at the time, but at the time, cellphones weren't as advanced as they are now," Peitsch said.
Former advisor to CMU’s AMA, Jeff Hoyle, said the that the students were challenged with this project, but overall, the idea was great.
Guidesmob launched it's first app for MSU in August 2012. Over 27,000 devices have download the app, with 5,000-6,000 users accessing the app daily.
Dan Kerbel, the founder of Guidesmob, said the primary function of the app is exposing students to opportunities and experiences available in their campus community.
"The orientation in college is usually geared more towards academics, and a little bit of information on how to get around town, but there's so much left for the students to discover,” he said. “There's been no real tool to help them discover that and keep them engaged with what they discover."
The app is only available on IPhones iOS, but Kerbel said Guidesmob is raising funds to make the app available on Android.
"A question we get asked a lot is why don't you make one app where people can choose their university and get all the information?” said Kerbel. “The reason is because there is less customization that you can do, it's less personal."
Ryan Clayton, the project coordinator for the AMA who had worked with Peitsch last fall, said the company has been working very hard at developing the app, and that he's excited to see how it spreads around campus.
Judges didn't choose the pitch because in part to the Facebook monopoly over social enterprise, but, as smartphone technology advanced, the idea became more concrete.
"The time was right, the technology was there," Peitsch said.
Peitsch met Kerbel in early 2013, and after sharing their ideas with each other, they chose to work together to create Guidesmob.
Guidesmob plans to expand beyond the three apps already scheduled. Kerbel said the company intends to expand to the rest of the big ten next year.
