5 Hot NYC Mobile App Startups to Keep an Eye On

New York is a unique startup hub for US iOS app developers, sort of like the dark twin to sunny San Francisco’s thriving tech economy.

Here are some of the hottest mobile app startups of 2016 coming out of the tech scene in Brooklyn and Manhattan.

1. Button

App fatigue is real, and the NYC iOS app developers at Button are out to fix that problem.

Button essentially creates an integrated environment that combines the apps, allowing users to combine habitual actions and link their apps to accomplish tasks at the push of a button.

2. Poncho

Poncho is that rare breed of NYC startup that successfully bridges the gap between utility and whimsy without triggering groans. The company started as a modest email newsletter, greeting users each morning with personalized weather reports that gave advice about how to dress and prepare for the day, delivered in meme-heavy millennial-speak.

The company recently brought their colorful brand identity to a mobile app for iOS, serving users in cities all over the US.

3. Dash

Self tracking is great for your health. What if you applied the same concept to your car? Dash aims to do exactly this, creating a piece of hardware that monitors your vehicle’s “stats” to save money on repairs by nipping them in the bud.

The devices streams data to a partner app, which also helps users find cheap gas stations and other geo-based assistance features.

4. Compass

NYC has a huge problem: real estate. Compass is taking aim at that problem with a mobile app that streamlines the process of selling, renting or buying real estate in NYC’s crowded, complex marketplace.

Venture capitalists agree that there’s room for improvement in this area, and backed Compass with around $50 million in Series C funding. The startup has an $800 million valuation.

5. xAd

Mobile advertising is shifting quickly, and while many startups move away from direct banner-type advertising in mobile products, in-app advertising remains one of the biggest drivers of revenue for iOS app developers.

xAD helps advertisers reach mobile app users with an innovative location-based targeting technology, bringing targeted mobile advertising down to a realistic price-point for medium-sized investors.