People everyday struggle with how to keep themselves motivated, either at work or in their everyday lives, and sometimes you just need something more.

Emil Kais, a recent graduate of the Computer Science (Honours) Program at the University of Windsor, is currently putting together a new business venture that looks to focus on people, specifically on the different aspects of motivation.

Emil started getting involved with entrepreneurship in Fall of 2016. He was mentoring for the Connecting4Success program at the University of Windsor and mentoring new students. Over the course of the program, there were various icebreaker events to meet other students outside of the program they were enrolled in. Emil thought that there was an opportunity to get motivation from other people in order to exchange advice on various topics. The chat was randomized to encourage users to talk to a variety of different individuals, and keep the content fresh.

In March 2017, after speaking with Dr. Ziad Kobti (Director of the School of Computer Science) about his project, he was referred to the EPICentre and learned about the RBC EPIC Founders Program. Emil is now using his time this summer to develop his first motivational application in the fitness and training industry.

Emil’s company, HypeCity, is a software development company that offers creative solutions to companies which focus on motivation. His first project revolves around helping personal trainers manage their clients better, especially with respect to motivation.

Under the HypeCity umbrella, Emil plans on developing branded applications for specific companies seeking his services. He is currently working on a prototype called JustHype that he can demonstrate when approaching managers and decision-makers at fitness facilities and gyms. The goal is to provide the clients of these facilities with a personalized experience whereby each gym will be able to customize their own app according to the needs and wants of their clients.

With his first prototype, trainers will be able to input a start and end time in a calendar and the client can then easily add this to their own schedule. The app will also make it easier for the trainer or client to schedule a 1-on-1 session. Other features will include being able to directly chat with a personal trainer, a soreness calculator that will illustrate parts of the client’s body which may need a rest (i.e. the customer can show the trainer where they are sore from previous workouts), and a planner for creating meal and training plans.

Another interesting feature will allow gym-goers to connect with each other through their devices, which would give them an opportunity to motivate each other and build their own fitness community.

Ultimately HypeCity is all about getting people motivated,  by empowering its clients with various software solutions with its mantra of ‘being a better you’. Emil is hoping to launch his first prototype by the end of Q4 2017 at the latest. Stay tuned for more updates on Emil’s entrepreneurial journey!