Ntensify: merchandise design firm wants to make free apps profitable

What’s the cure for all those heavily downloaded free apps without revenue to speak of? Maybe it’s swag.
Ntensify is a full-service merchandise design firm from Reston, Virginia that is part of the latest AccelerateBaltimore class at Highlandtown’s Emerging Technology Center.
Founded by Daven Johnson and Sangram Pradhan, the company creates promotional products for the ever-growing community of mobile apps and games that can be sold to fans who like the brand.
“As fans of games, movies, and comics,” Pradhan said, “Daven and [I] wanted to create fun merchandise for popular entertainment brands that weren’t serviced by traditional retail.”
And indeed they have found a sturdy base from which to grow, with a client list featuring popular free iOS game Deer Hunter 2014 from Glu Mobile as well as The Yogscast, one of the most viewed Youtube channel in the UK. Ntensify has a team of designers and programmers charged with customizing promotional materials for various ecommerce experiences.
As the company has grown, that prioritization of materials to offer and experiences to support is one of the most challenging steps for their group, Pradhan said. That’s a question of focus.
The AccelerateBaltimore program is designed to support and encourage startup technology companies to grow and succeed. By the end of their stay at ETC, lasting 13 weeks, these companies will have met with industry professionals, received extra funding granted by the Abell Foundation, the downtown foundation that has taken an interest in entrepreneurship.
Alongside Ntensify are five other companies that are based at ETC through the AccelerateBaltimore program.
This diverse grouping of companies allows Ntensify different perspectives for use in their own model, Pradhan said, thankful the program let’s his team work “in a community of entrepreneurs who have provided us with valuable feedback and have expanded our network.”
It’s part of the founder’s experience.
“We are constantly shifting between various aspects of our business,” he said, “often blurring the lines in our job description.”