Do Good Deeds. Check In. Earn Points.

What inspired you to start your company?
We feel there is a missing link between the causes people care about and the actions they are taking on a daily basis. Many of us are interested in volunteering for our favorite organization but just don't seem to find the time. Many of us care about the environment but just when convenient. We want to change this. We want to bring actions like recycling, volunteering, donating, and picking up litter to the front of peoples minds so they are more consciously engaged in the betterment of their communities. 

We believe we can make the world a better place through the collective actions of good people. Being sports lovers, what better way to get people to rally around causes than through good old fashioned competition. So we set out to build a fun and easy way for people to give back to their communities and engage with their favorite causes all while competing with their friends and neighbors.

Tell us something unique about you and your co-founder(s)?
Kyle and I met at IU and became roommates with no plans to start a business together. After graduating, we both moved to Indianapolis to begin our careers and worked independently for several year before connecting on trensy. It all came down to the trust and confidence we both had in each other that encouraged us to venture together on this journey. Fate got us together to work on changing the world.

What problem does your product or service solve?
We believe people care about their communities and will get involved with the right motivation. Using game mechanics & a familiar competitive structure, trensy is this platform to motivate and energize users and help organizations connect with the people who care about their causes.

What are your startup's three biggest challenges to growth?
Our biggest challenges right now are capital, manpower, and mind-share.

How has the Startup America Partnership helped you overcome these challenges to growth?
Startup America has been a great resource. Participating in pitch competitions has given us valuable feedback on our business and messaging. Most recently, we won the video pitch competition to go to TechCrunch Disrupt in NYC. This was an amazing opportunity that allowed us to network with investors, advisers, and leaders in our space. As an added bonus, we were able to meet with Scott Case for one-on-one feedback. These connections are already blossoming into valuable relationships to help grow our business.

What Startup America Member Benefits have you used?
We have taken advantage of a variety of offers including free images from Big Stock and social media monitoring from American Express. However, we have gotten the most value out of the learning series webinars. Each one provides valuable bits of information and now with the archives available, we don't have to worry about each one fitting into our schedule.

Why should startups join Startup America?
The valuable resources and opportunites make joining Startup America for any new company a no-brainer. There is something for everyone and, at the rock bottom price of free, you can't beat it!

What is the startup culture like in your City/State?
Indianapolis has a very vibrant startup community. Networking groups like Verge and partners like DeveloperTown are leading the way to connect the brightest minds in the city and grow our businesses. We're proud to be a part of this community and look forward to growing trensy right here in our hometown.

What else should we highlight about your startup?
We have recently partnered with the Graham Rahal Foundation expand both of our visions for community involvement. Graham is a model athlete that cares as much about giving back as he does his craft. With a mission dedicated to helping children with medical conditions, we are proud to be working closely with the foundation on a variety of events throughout the year.

Learn more about trensy

Startup America member since January 2012
Region: Indiana
Web: www.trensy.com
Twitter: @trensy
Facebook: www.facebook.com/trensy