Ohio University student Logan Koshenka originally thought his app, Skyway, would be a side project, but it quickly became the main thing he wants to do every day.
Skyway is a location-based messaging app that allows people in the same location to connect in a group chat. Currently, the location feature is only available in Athens.
“The main feature is this: channels,” Koshenka, a senior studying marketing and the developer of the app, said. “Since I’m on Court Street … anyone on Court Street can participate (in a group chat).”
Skyway launched Nov. 8 and currently has over 500 users. Koshenka said that the most similar app with this location-based feature would be Snapchat, which allows users to post pictures and messages and has a location feature.
“If you’re at Alden, and two strangers are studying the same thing, that’s kind of the goal is … to make that easier,” Koshenka said.
Koshenka formed a startup website, CavKosh.com, when he was 19. He was accepted into a Draper University entrepreneurship “boot-camp” in California. After that startup failed, he worked to learn coding.
“I wanted something to capture the sense of community here,” Koshenka said. “When I got into coding, I created a game and it was more successful than I thought it would be. It kind of showed me the potential of creating an app that people love.”
Riley Hoepfner, an Honors Tutorial College freshman studying anthropology, downloaded the app after seeing it on Koshenka’s Snapchat.
“I haven’t had any problems (with the app) as of right now,” Hoepfner said. “None of my close friends use the app, the people who I know that use the app seem to like it.”
Rachel Mccabe, an undecided freshman, does not use the app. She said it seems like a good idea.
“I would definitely use that, I think that would be really helpful,” she said.
Koshenka’s goal for the near future is to expand to nearby campuses. From there, his “big picture” goal is to have channels in any area where people would want to socialize, from coffee shops to concerts.
“It started as a very little side project, and now it’s the main thing I want to do with my day all the time,” Koshenka said.
