When Nikos Diakogiannis first ventured to the realm of dating applications, he unearthed that these people were all too comparable. That’s why he’s attempting to altogether change the game — one meme at the same time.
Tinder, Bumble, Hinge, Match — record of choices continues on. But Diakogiannis has generated a software that brings a breathing of outdoors to dating that is virtual.
It’s called Picme.
“Picme is kind of just like a hybrid between Tinder and Snapchat,” Diakogiannis told The Pappas Post. “You swipe on users and in the event that you get yourself a match, you message them just with photo communications.”
Exactly exactly exactly exactly How it all started
Years after finding a bachelor’s degree in computer technology through the University of Connecticut, Diakogiannis gone back to the institution to start graduate studies within the field that is medical.
Just like numerous students that are graduate the Bristol indigenous invested most of their amount of time in the publications, restricting opportunities for in-person conversation.
“I utilized dating apps a great deal because I didn’t have enough time to satisfy individuals. But we noticed that many dating apps had been comparable,” Diakogiannis stated. “You simply match with someone and text forward and backward until such time you meet them.”
The lacking ingredient? Engagement.
“ we thought the card swiping game ended up being enjoyable, nevertheless the thing we hated about old-fashioned relationship apps ended up being the connection after matching with another user,” he said. “The whole concept of texting a complete stranger some pickup that is random seemed embarrassing and inadequate in my opinion.”
Diakogiannis’ application Picme permits users to swipe, match and exchange “memes,” which make reference to pictures which can be frequently funny in the wild you need to include descriptive text. (picture due to Picme)
Bringing more interaction to dating apps
Diakogiannis’ very very very first effort came through Spark, a video clip speed-dating application which permitted users to have interaction through FaceTime-style video clip chats. The software included search filters such as for example distance, age and gender.
But location became a presssing issue, as users with big distances between them faced the process ukrainian brides of coordinating movie calls while being in various time areas. This prompted Diakogiannis to just simply simply take another approach.
“It ended up being not to practical to obtain individuals in identical location that is geographic at the same time frame to setup movie calls,” he said. “The pool of possible users ended up being too tiny.”
Diakogiannis’ latest application, Picme, arrived in reaction to that particular issue.
“The new application hits a stability between being interactive without forcing visitors to be online at exactly the same time,” he said. “After you match on Picme, it is possible to simply take snapshots, label all of them with text and hit send.”
Picme takes inspiration from Snapchat insofar as the photo-based structure while its “card swiping feature that is the Tinder model. Diakogiannis stated these records were in keeping with their objective to make an app that is interactive totally reinventing the wheel.
“Picme had been a hybrid of my concept for Spark,” he said. “You get to see individuals and connect to them on an even more personal level without changing the dating model that’s already worked.”
The movie below programs the way the application works in realtime.
The long, grueling procedure
Diakogiannis had some type of computer technology degree, but this didn’t suggest he knew simple tips to build a software.
The UConn alumnus read a textbook that is 1,000-page pcs. He sat discovered the particulars of development for iOS, Apple’s operating that is mobile which powers a number of the company’s devices, such as the iPhone and ipod itouch. He learned brand new development languages, formal languages that are utilized to implement algorithms and supply directions for computer systems.
These tasks yet others amounted to a commitment that is full-time of 11 hours a day, and sometimes more, to accomplish Picme.
Diakogiannis then encountered the review that is app’s for Facebook. This suggested creating his or her own LLC and publishing company papers to be A facebook-verified company. Then a contract was signed by him guaranteeing not to ever misuse individual information.
Apple arrived next.
“Apple features a big group of rules you must adhere by when publishing to your app shop. I did son’t have a вЂSign in with Apple’ key the time that is first presented the application and so they rejected me personally,” Diakogiannis stated. “I experienced to fully replace the login system to have it to do business with both Twitter and Apple.”
Picme received four rejections before qualifying for the App shop, where it is currently designed for down load. The application also offers an online site.
“It had been acutely hard, but i acquired it completed with assistance from my family that is amazing and,” Diakogiannis stated. “I don’t know very well what i might do without them.”
Nikos Diakogiannis edits rule while focusing on their software. He’s got a bachelor’s level in computer technology through the University of Connecticut.
Encouraged by family members
“The minute I made the decision to pursue entrepreneurship had been a tremendously time that is hard me personally,” Diakogiannis stated. “My pappou on my mother’s side, whom assisted raise me personally, had been bedridden with dementia. We felt hopeless and very sad and hurt.”
But seeing their grandfather during their final times inspired the young business owner, whom stated he began convinced that “life had been too quick” to not ever simply take a danger by developing an application.
“i needed to move for the fences and hit a home hopefully run,” Diakogiannis said. “i needed in order to make my grandfather pleased with me personally, so he could look down at me personally and smile, saying вЂI’m proud I took my children to America, the nation of possibility.’”
Diakogiannis pictured along with his grandfather, Konstantinos Kousournas, during the Diagoras Airport on their ancestral area of Rhodes, Greece. Kousournas passed away in might 2017 at the chronilogical age of 82. (picture thanks to Nikos Diakogiannis)
Diakogiannis, who had been their late grandfather’s very first grandchild, said the two shared a “special bond” that shaped him as a person.
“Pappou took me personally every-where with him in order to get me personally from the household and invest some quality time together. He had been the guy whom first took our house to America from Rhodes, Greece in 1969,” he stated. “He ended up being constantly proud to be A us and he adored this country.”
Diakogiannis stated that certain time he hopes to offer their software and spend down his moms and dads’ business.
“My parents have now been spending so much time for nearly three decades into the dry cleansing and tailoring business,” he said. “They instilled that same work that is hard in me personally. I wish to manage to provide them with some slack in the end these years which help them retire.”
Diakogiannis (far left) pictured together with family members during their sibling Kostas’ graduation from Central Connecticut State University in might 2019. (Photo thanks to Nikos Diakogiannis)
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