MIT App Inventor
Business Profile
Core Value Proposition
MIT App Inventor provides a free, web-based, blocks-based environment to build fully functional mobile apps for Android, iPhone, and Android/iOS tablets.
Target Customer
Students, teachers, and education-focused users globally; educators and organizations involved in teaching coding and app development; open-source contributors and learners
Key Differentiator
Free, open-source, blocks-based visual programming platform backed by MIT CSAIL, designed to democratize software development and enable rapid, social-impact app creation across Android and iOS
Implementation Timeline
New users can have a simple first app up and running in less than 30 minutes; rapid prototyping and testing workflows via Companion apps and emulators support quick iteration
Pain Points
- 1Difficulty for beginners to learn coding and build apps quickly
- 2Need for testing across devices and platforms during development
- 3Challenges distributing and sharing apps, or building for iOS due to Apple restrictions
Key Features
- 1Blocks-based visual programming environment to create mobile apps
- 2Cross-platform support for Android and iOS testing/installation
- 3Live testing via MIT App Inventor Companion apps and an emulator
- 4Exportable app source projects (.AIA) and ability to share/store apps
- 5Free, open-source with an active community and extensive tutorials
Target Customer Industries
Decision Makers
- 1Teacher
Client Results
- 1Over 24 million people code their own apps with App Inventor
- 2Over 6 million registered users worldwide
- 3In one month, coders came from over 11,000 schools globally in over 200 countries/regions and over 900 US schools in 50 states
Competitive Advantages
- 1No coding experience required for many users; beginner-friendly
- 2Completely free to use with no commercial product liability for MIT
- 3Cross-platform testing for Android and iOS; live testing and emulation options
- 4Open-source, with community contributions and an extensive set of tutorials
- 5Strong educational focus with impact examples and partnerships
Key Benefits
Case Studies & Success Stories
Hello Navi – Resaca, Texas (Middle School students)
Six middle-school girls built an app to help their blind classmate navigate school halls and were invited to show their work at the White House.
Moldova – Safe drinking water access
A group of young women built a crowd-sourcing app to help residents access safe drinking water sources.
Lagos, Nigeria – Traffic safety
A group of high-school girls created an app to help traffic police catch offenders.
Chennai, India – Disaster relief and student tracking
A tenth-grader developed apps including one to coordinate relief efforts following flooding and another to help track students on buses.
Additional Product Information
Product Description
MIT App Inventor is an intuitive, visual programming environment that enables users to build fully functional mobile apps for Android and iOS using blocks-based coding; the platform supports testing, sharing, and distribution of apps, with a strong emphasis on education and accessibility.
Target Market
Educational institutions, teachers, students, and learners worldwide seeking to learn/applied app development; open-source and community-driven learners and educators
Unique Value Proposition
A free, MIT-backed, open-source, blocks-based platform that accelerates learning and enables rapid, cross-platform app development for education and social impact
Technical Requirements
Web-based tool accessible via modern browsers (Chrome, Firefox, Safari); requires a computer with internet; companion apps for iOS and Android to test apps; supports testing via emulator; runs on Chromebooks, iPads, Android tablets; iOS testing noted with current process and beta enhancements
Pricing Model
Free to use; MIT project funded through grants and collaborations; not sold as a commercial product
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