Short Summary
Hey there Indiegogoers!
Thanks for checking out Qwerk, a mobile app founded by four college students from Florida: Jonathan Katz, Alex Schepps, Ben Devore, and Ben Horowitz.
The four of us attend three different universities. While at school, we have each fallen upon one or both of two problems:
- College is expensive! Of course, we could solve that by getting a part-time job, but acquiring one is always tough and balancing a rigid work schedule with a rigid class schedule is no easy task.
- College isn't the party we expected. With a heavy course load and the expectation to excel in extracurricular activities in order to get a job, it can be tough to find time for yourself to relax and enjoy the moment.
So, we set out to solve both problems, and founded Qwerk. Qwerk allows college students to make free time for themselves or earn extra cash as they please through a single mobile application. Users can post jobs that they would otherwise have to do themselves to a live newsfeed. Qwerkers can then claim any job off the feed that they'd like to perform. It can be anything from household chores, to food or delivery of goods, to well, anything! Once the service is completed, the app transfers money from the User's account to the Qwerker's, cash free. There is also a section for students to sell new and used goods to their fellow classmates.
We are excited to announce that we will be launching in Spring 2016 at the University of Florida. If we are successful, we plan to quickly spread our service to as many colleges campuses in the country as we can! But, we need your help to make this possible.
What We Need & What You Get
In a world where new apps are being created everyday, it's a tough battle to be considered worthy of smartphone users' data space. The only way we even stand a chance is through a strong marketing campaign. As a result, we've budgeted a $15,000 campaign to market our product to the student body of UF. This money will go to:
- Promotional goods such as stickers, water bottles, backpacks, t-shirts, and flyers to gain the student body's attention.
- Events and Sweepstakes such as bar crawls or a chance to win cool college necessities in order to get students to download the app.
- Promotions such as $10 credit toward a User's first purchase to get students to start using the app.
So, with all the gear we hope to get, we'd like to share it with you for endorsing our product!
In the Buzz: $1 contributions will earn you a spot on the thank you page of our website, qwerkapp.com. Plus, we'll add you to our email list, so you can stay updated with all the buzz around Qwerk!
Thanks for your Bizzness: $10 gets you your very own Qwerk sticker to rep the coolest app in the southeast.
A Member of the Hive: $25 gets you a limited edition Qwerk t-shirt.
The BEEliever: $100+ gets you the sticker and the t-shirt!
The Queen Bee: Your the bee's knees! $2500 gets you a weekend getaway in Gainesville, Florida where you'll meet two of our founders who will treat you to a tour of Qwerk headquarters at the UF Innovation Hub, tickets to a Gators sporting event, a nice steak dinner, and hotel accommodations. You'll also receive special recognition on our company website. (flight accommodations not included)
The Impact
As each of us nears the end of our college career, we are thankful for the four wonderful years college has given us. Still, we've learned that the academic climate in secondary education is growing more and more competitive, and with tuition rising each year, the pressures of the real world have forced their way into the lives of college students. Our mission is to ease a bit of that worry for the young adults that follow us. No one should have to stress about their college experience; it's supposed to be the best four years of your life!
Risks & Challenges
Starting a business is tough, and as young adults with limited work experience, we anticipate the journey to be a serious challenge.
That said, all of us have worked on an entrepreneurial project before, and as a team with a diverse educational background composing of Finance, Marketing, Entrepreneurship, and Computer Science, we are not entering unchartered territory.
Above all else, our combined work ethic to bring what was just an idea to market in just seven months serves as an example of what we can accomplish.
Other Ways You Can Help
We hope you will support our mission. If you cannot contribute financially, but believe you can help us in another way, please feel free to reach out to us at one of the following email addresses:
- Jonathan Katz (CEO): jkatz@qwerkapp.com
- Alex Schepps (CFO): aschepps@qwerkapp.com
- Ben Devore (CTO): bdevore@qwerkapp.com
- Ben Horowitz (COO): bhorowitz@qwerkapp.com
If you are a UF student and would like to join our team as a Qwerker or a campus rep, please visit our website qwerkapp.com.
Thanks and don't forget to Qwerk It!
