Slovak App Droppie wants to compete with Instagram

A five-member Slovak team is currently launching a new mobile app called Droppie, a social network that will connect people via pictures taken by others who have already been to a certain place. The inventors believe that the app may become as popular as Instagram, Foursquare and Snapchat. "Just snap a photo, add a caption and leave it wherever you are. When someone walks by the location of your Drop, they can pick it up. People can reply directly, and the fun begins! Customize your photos with Droppie's gorgeous filter effects and unique caption text. Transform everyday moments into amazing drops that you'll want to share with others," reads the app's website. "The app was specifically designed for young people. Simplicity, fun, getting to know new people and surprise are the main things that can be experienced with Droppie," said app founder Martin Herman. "You simply walk the streets and collect pictures with messages that have been dropped there by somebody you needn't even have known," said another member of the founding team, Marek Sandor. Droppie is a product with ten months of development that has involved a series of analyses and much research. Sandor and Herman began developing it at a start-up accelerator in Krakow. After acquiring the first contacts and feedback, they launched a trial version among 400 students. The app then drew the attention of experts, and the Slovak team received the support of mentors from Silicon Valley, Germany, Poland and Slovakia.