This Maryland startup began as a pet services marketplace. Now, it builds apps for small biz.

This story was produced with support from the Howard County Economic Development Authority, which operates the Maryland Innovation Center and helps entrepreneurs and businesses of all sizes access the funding, guidance, and connections they need to grow in Howard County, Maryland.

For many small business owners, developing new technology just isn’t in their wheelhouse. 

If they want the latest tech upgrades, those businesses often have to bring in a third-party developer that costs thousands of dollars.

Columbia, Maryland-based App Beacon CEO Hector Ocasio first noticed that in the pet and animal industry, but quickly realized it’s a universal problem. 

He saw organizations juggling a patchwork of tools to connect with their clients and knew from his tech exec background that users favor a centralized mobile experience. Now, he wants to level the playing field for tech access by offering fully customized apps to companies that might otherwise be shut out. 

“I’ve seen small businesses continue to rely on archaic methodologies or platforms that aren’t branded for their business,” Ocasio told Technical.ly, leading to less consistent communication with their customers. “We’ve simplified the tech to make it easy.”

Since its founding in 2021, the startup has developed hundreds of apps for clients across the country. It works with some franchises, but its platform is aimed at helping service-oriented clients such as churches, restaurants, community centers and nonprofits looking to expand their reach. 

Businesses fill out an online questionnaire and must have a valid website with existing branding to help developers flesh out their app. The company mixes and matches predesigned features like push notifications and resource libraries to create the final product. 

On the platform, businesses select the components they want, like direct chat, event calendars and mobile payments. App Beacon’s team then manages design, development and app store distribution.

Once the app is complete, the team also provides a training session to help the organization navigate its features. Organizations also have access to a support platform for updates and can contact the team directly for more serious issues.

“There is no technical experience required to work with us,” Ocasio said. “We can just flip features on for them, and they can implement it within their application.” 

A major selling point for small businesses is the price, Ocasio said. Small businesses often run on tight margins and can’t pay expensive independent contractors. 

Traditional app development can cost anywhere from $5,000 to $50,000, according to a Business of Apps study. App Beacon charges a one-time launch fee of $299 and monthly subscriptions starting at $149 to access update options. 

From marketplace to custom builds

The idea behind App Beacon actually first started as Pet Connect, before expanding to more businesses. App Beacon still offers a separate suite designed specifically for that unique client: pet owners.

In 2017, Ocasio nearly lost his dog after struggling to find a nearby emergency hospital. To prevent other families from facing the same problem, he created a searchable marketplace of local pet providers. As service providers requested additional features, the marketplace evolved into Pet Connect Business.

Today, Pet Connect Business lets groomers, dog trainers and other pet service providers create apps to connect more effectively with pet owners, offering features tailored specifically to pet businesses.

Over time, businesses outside the pet industry began showing interest, paving the way for the broader App Beacon platform. But the company still keeps its pet niche going because it’s developed a strong connection with the industry. 

“We shifted multiple times just in the pet space alone,” Ocasio said. “From there, we got visibility to other business types that were not in the pet space, and it just sort of blew up.”