New app picks meals
Trent student launches app that helps you discover your next meal
A groundbreaking new app recently launched by young Peterborough entrepreneur could change the way consumers choose their next meal.
Zatiq, created by Trent University computer sciences student Sultan Moni, is a platform for users to discover local foods using artificial intelligence to match their cravings to a meal, based on their mood and preferences.
The beta version of the app is now available in the Google Play Store and will be launching on the Apple App Store in August. A full version will be released in September that will include input based on feedback his team is now getting, Moni said.
The idea came when the self described “huge foodie,” who has a background in business services, was lying in bed one night trying to figure out what he wanted to eat.
He thought about how online music streaming site Spotify makes suggestions on what music you’d like to hear based on your interests, and how it would be great if there was an app that could do the same thing for food.
“That was the initial light bulb,” he said Thursday.
Innovation Cluster marketing manager and innovation specialist Rosalea Terry pointed out how actor Aziz Ansari made a similar comment in his Netflix series
Master of None – after Moni had already began working on the idea.
The app could mean consumers won’t have to spend time deciding where to eat again. Research shows that 49 per cent of them consult with friends and 80 per cent do additional research, even with the recommendation, cluster officials stated.
Zatiq has various inputs to aid a food search. When searching by business, user’s can browse for specific restaurants, cafes and other food hot spots.
The innovative “mood” search engine lets the user find meals that will satisfy based on what they are feeling, such as if they are happy or heartbroken, officials stated.
After eating, users can rate their experience on the food quality, service and price. Or, take a picture of their meal and add it to the business’ location to share with friends.
“Zatiq is designed to have user input in all aspects of the app for the most personalized experience possible, so community feedback is very important for the growth of the experience,” Moni stated in a press release.
With the ability for users to follow each other’s profiles, the app also provides an interactive experience when trying new foods, allowing people to comment or like another user’s ratings, check-ins or pictures, officials stated.
Another benefit of the app is each time a user checks in to a location, points are gained, which can be redeemed as coupons, discounts, samples, offers and other deals provided by businesses.
Zatiq, however, is just a small part of the entrepreneur’s vision. He’d love to see it go global before its function is further integrated into our daily lives.
“Imagine a future where you can walk into a restaurant and be served by a human-like robot that can serve you,” he said. “It would be like having a friend in every restaurant.”
The entrepreneur uses the motto “disrupt and redefine” while having created many new innovations over the years, including the startup consulting company Central Dominion, an online social media platform, and even published his own fiction novel, officials stated.
The Cubs’ Lair 2015 finalist is based out of the Innovation Cluster’s downtown Cube, where digital startups represent a big part of the action.
It has 13 full-time digital clients who occupy office space as well as 10 “floater” or part-time digital clients that don’t require full-time space. It also has a dozen virtual digital clients that don’t require any space at all, Terry said.
“Over 50 per cent of our incubated clients are in the digital sector,” Innovation Cluster president and CEO Michael Skinner stated. “It is exciting to see a disruptive new app born in Peterborough and the Kawarthas which has the potential to be used in different markets around the world.”
NOTES: Zatiq’s website is at zatiq.com .... The Greater Peterborough Innovation Cluster website is at www.innovationcluster.ca.