Harsh Patel and Baltej Singh, both 23 from Leicester, have just released their app ApnaKey, which is a platform that allows users to discover their city, book activities with friends and organise payments- all within the app.
The idea for ApnaKey came when Harsh and Baltej struggled to organise five-a-side football at university, and continuously had to chase their friends for money. They soon discovered this wasn’t just a problem with recreational sport – people were struggling to organise activities with partners and friends, with added headaches if you were in charge of booking.
So they developed ApnaKey, which also enables friends to chat to one another, vote, see recommended nearby activities and claim discounts.
It was this this innovative idea that won ApnaKey the Smart Leicester Award from Leicester City Council.
The founders of ApnaKey say their app is not only beneficial for families and friends, but also companies providing services, activities and events. By partnering up with the platform, businesses get access to a booking system, digital presence and automated payments – getting rid of admin work, meaning they can really focus on providing the best customer service for their activities.
Two venues, Leicester Sports Centre and Leicester Simulations, have already signed up, with half a dozen more to follow.
Leicester Sports Centre provides indoor football, cricket, netball, dodgeball and more. Meanwhile Leicester Simulations have state of the art equipment to give simulated experiences in Formula 1 racing, Spitfire planes and indoor golf.
ApnaKey CEO Harsh Patel says:
“We’re really proud to have launched our first version of ApnaKey and we’re continuously listening to all the feedback, adding more features and updates to make everything seamless, and making booking less of a chore.
“During lockdown not only have we developed the apps but we tested the concept further by taking part in the Leicester StartUp Accelerator programme and getting feedback from established business founders and innovators.”
Click here to download the ApnaKey app on iOS and here on Android.