9 Flutter Apps That Protect Your Privacy

9 teams win Atsign’s second @appathon

From Giphy

Phase 2 of our @appathon II came to a close earlier this April. Seventeen participating teams each developed a pitch and app demo, and our judges selected nine deserving winners.

Track 1 of our @appathon was designated for students and alumni from Zimbabwe, and was sponsored by the Computer Society of Zimbabwe. Track 2, our Global track, included students from the US, Canada, Bermuda, Bangladesh, as well as any country outside of Zimbabwe.

All of these apps are developed on the atPlatform, a technology that allows for total privacy and gives people control of their own data. Read more about the winning apps below.

@FoodShare | The Food App For All Your Needs

Meruyert Lee (LinkedIn), Linda Yeung (LinkedIn), Candace Moore (LinkedIn)

Looking for inspirational recipes that meet your dietary restrictions? Want to interact with others who share your love for food? @FoodShare is a social hub for all your culinary endeavors.

Notable Features:

• You can indicate any special diets on your profile. Options include Keto, Vegan, and Paleo.
• The app’s intuitive interface makes it easy to jot down recipes and share them with friends.
• Browse your FoodFeed for updates from your foodie friends.

@mycert | The Secure Way to Keep and Share Your Certifications

Gcinithemba Maphosa (LinkedIn), Nicola Dyakonda (LinkedIn), Mthandazo Ncube (LinkedIn), David Zirima (LinkedIn), Linnet Garaba (LinkedIn)

To prove that you’ve graduated from university, you’ll need a certification from your academic institution. In Zimbabwe, you must prove your identity before you can pick up your certification, but the process often involves lots of paperwork and hours of commute time.

With @mycert, universities can virtually verify a student’s identity, removing barriers caused by in-person pickup and allowing for convenient, secure file transfers.

Notable Features:

• Share your certificates with anyone, and revoke access at any time.
• In addition to your certificates, you can also include a short bio, contact information, relevant work experience, and your education.
• The @mycert team plans to eventually include employers looking to hire new graduates.

@sclepius | Sharing Data Between Patients, Their Loved Ones, and Hospitals

Sean Roarty (LinkedIn), Ivan Carvalho (LinkedIn), Mathew Costello (LinkedIn), Sethu Thirumal (LinkedIn)

@sclepius provides a secure method for patients and doctors to transmit confidential medical documents. It’s both an organizational tool that lets medical professionals categorize their many documents, and a communication tool that lets doctors send medical information to family members with the patient’s permission.

Notable Features:

• Some of @sclepius’ team members have worked in hospital settings, and this understanding is reflected in the app’s interface. Nurses can organize their patients by floor and take note of any procedures or changes.
• As a patient, you’ll have full control of your own medical logs.
• The app has three different views: one for medical staff, one for patients, and one for patients’ friends and family.

@simbiso | A Safe Space to Share Your COVID-19 Experience

Chiradtizo Charakupa (LinkedIn), Shamiso Mitchell (LinkedIn)

According to the World Health Organization Nigeria, stigma around COVID-19 can discourage people from seeking treatment when they are sick. @simbiso is a safe way for COVID-19 victims to connect with each other and get the support they need.

Notable Features:

• The app gives you space to reflect, allowing you to record entries in a COVID diary. You can add images or URLs to describe their mood.
• Share these entries with other people, or keep them private if you so desire.
• If you change your mind, you can remove unwanted journal entries with a single click.

@skillset | Zimbabwe’s #1 Freelance App

Glen Chiridza (LinkedIn), Stan Mpakati (LinkedIn), Munyaradzi Chigangawa (LinkedIn)

Due to COVID-19, many people are at increased risk of losing their jobs. Though platforms like Fiverr or Hired are potential solutions, they fail to meet local job requirements, don’t accommodate for physical work, and can be extremely competitive.

Designed specifically for low-income and third-world countries, @skillset seeks to match potential employers with qualified candidates. The team currently plans to target Zimbabwe, but will eventually expand its reach to the rest of the world.

Notable Features:

• Think of your profile as a mini resume. Include your past work experience, skills, and any other relevant information to impress potential employers.
• Because everyone must have an atSign to use @skillset, both employers and employees will be able to prove their identity through attestations. This allows for increased accountability and confidence during the hiring process.
• The app has an end-to-end encrypted Chats feature where businesses and freelancers can converse freely.

@social | A New Standard for Social Media

Philippe Cutillas (LinkedIn), Leo Schuh (LinkedIn), Michael Featherston (LinkedIn)

Viewers of The Social Dilemma have probably heard the social media horror stories. For example, browsing social media can change your brain chemistry and heighten anxiety or depression, particularly in young people.

@social plans to turn modern-day social media on its head. It is designed with an emphasis on people’s well-being and does not rely on collecting or selling user data.

Notable Features:

• There are no ads by default. Should you choose to display ads, you can customize the frequency of these ads to your liking.
• The app prioritizes your mental health by replacing any numerical counts (Likes, Dislikes, etc) with lists and reminding you to take breaks.
• As part of an ecosystem of apps developed on the atPlatform, you can connect with contacts that you’ve interacted with on other apps.

@terera | Bringing Happiness to Africa Through Sound

Karin Sana, Stanley Chiremba (LinkedIn), Maxine Mutasa (LinkedIn), Keith Maworise (LinkedIn), Liberty Mdaya (LinkedIn), Rubinaldo Domingos (LinkedIn), Stewart Ngozo (LinkedIn), Nyasha Masese, Kumbirai Kanyenze

Though platforms like Spotify or Apple Music have made streaming music easier, they are not always accessible in most African countries. @terera is a music streaming service that will offer a seamless, enjoyable listening experience for African listeners.

Notable Features:

• The @terera team plans to elevate African artists and promote African music and culture.
• The app will be made available in any African country, especially in countries where services like Spotify or Apple Music cannot be accessed. Eventually, the service will be expanded to other countries without access to mainstream music streaming services.
• Create playlists and share them with your friends and family.

@todo | An Easy Way to Share To-Do Lists with Friends

Ankita Nandi (LinkedIn), Clara Wang (LinkedIn), Cindy Zhu (LinkedIn), Kripa Srinivasan (LinkedIn)

@todo encourages you to share your to-do lists with the people in your life. It seeks to transform traditional to-do lists, which are typically isolating and overwhelming, into social experiences that are collaborative and fun.

Notable Features:

• Unlike most other list-making services, @todo is highly collaborative. It’s extremely easy to create your list and share it with friends or team members. You can also view to-do lists that others have created.
• Everything on the app is end-to-end encrypted. No one, not even the app’s developers, can access your to-do lists without your express permission.
• Eliminate organizational chaos in group projects by assigning each task to a specific person.

@virtualSuggestionBox | A Way to Give Anonymous Feedback

Kudakwashe Chipangura (LinkedIn), Rufaro Satoro (LinkedIn), Jim Makayikayi (LinkedIn), Cresentia Moyo (LinkedIn)

Without constructive feedback, it can be difficult for organizations to identify problems and make improvements. But giving criticism isn’t always easy, as people may not want to expose their identities for fear of retaliation.

@virtualSuggestionBox creates a safe, anonymous space where anyone can make their voice heard.

Notable Features:

• Create polls and send them out to whomever it may concern. You can collect anonymous responses while still verifying that each person has only voted once.
• Send suggestions anonymously to any poll’s creator. This allows you to give feedback or ask clarifying questions without revealing your identity.
• You can attach media files like videos or images to any suggestions that you send.

Atsign is a tech startup committed to transforming how the modern Internet treats people’s data. To learn more about Atsign and their mission, check out their website.