Cherry Creek mobile app business AppIt Ventures growing along with staff

Co-Founders Jeff Macco and Rob Carpenter started AppIt Ventures to develop mobile apps in early 2012. A year later, the company has snowballed to nine employees, making two hires since November with plans to make another two by mid-February.

 

Previous to founding the company, Carpenter had developed an app to help people write business plans. He met Macco through the Rutt Bridges Venture Fund at University of Colorado Denver and they quickly saw an opportunity for a new business.

 

"We realized there was a tremendous amount of need for apps," says Carpenter. "Even though there's a lot of developers out there, there's still a lot of need."

 

Today AppIt's product division offers apps for business plan creation as well as other business functions, but its custom app services now make up 80 percent of sales.

 

AppIt offers affordable services and a revenue-sharing plan for those with good ideas but limited funding. "Apps often cost $20,000 to $50,000 to develop," says Carpenter. "There were a lot of people with great ideas that couldn't afford $20,000 to $50,000."

 

AppIt's portfolio includes a gamified networking app for the Young Presidents' Organization and mobile apps for several local startups. "We're looking to partner with existing sales and marketing organizations in town," says Macco.

 

AppIt won Denver's first JumpStart Biz Plan Award in October 2012. The prize: $50,000 and office space for a year.

 

Macco says he's seen numerous positive developments in Denver in the past 12 months. "It seems there are a lot more resources than there was a year ago: more money, more talent, more ideas."