Our Story
We think digital wellness only works when someone else can see you're trying.
Tapd is built on a simple belief: meaningful digital wellness comes from intentional action, shared accountability, and real community.
Unlike other tools that focus solely on individual use, our platform emphasizes social accountability. We've taken inspiration from the rise of social wellness apps like Strava, Duolingo, and Beli, and applied those same principles to phone usage. Users join groups with friends, family members, and coworkers to see shared leaderboards, track personal streaks, and view time spent focused alongside self-reported focus scores.
The core interaction is physical: users tap NFC tags placed in real-world locations to start or end focus sessions. This simple action creates a clear boundary between everyday phone use and intentional, focused time. App blocking is tied directly to this tap-in behavior, grounding digital control in real, habitual practice.
Phone addiction didn't develop overnight. It's the result of countless small choices, engineered habits, and systems designed to capture attention. But change is possible, it just requires the right structure and support.
Tapd removes friction from intentional behavior. By grounding digital wellness in physical action (the tap), social connection (the group), and real measurement (the analytics), we make it possible to build habits that stick.
Get off your phone.
Reconnect with the world.
We didn't get here because we're more disciplined than anyone else. We got here because we built a group where the other three could see if we skipped a day.
That's the whole bet behind Tapd: a tap you can't fake, and people around you who'd notice if you did.
How We Think
We're not building surveillance
We're not building a surveillance tool. We're building a platform for people who want to change, supported by their community.
The tap is the point
The power comes from choosing to focus. Every tap is an intentional action that creates a clear boundary.
Real places, not just an app
NFC tags ground digital wellness in real-world habit. One tap connects the phone to the place, the person, the moment.
About the Founders
This project started from a personal place. We're college students and childhood friends who have struggled with phone distraction ourselves. We didn't find the existing tools flexible, engaging, or socially motivating enough to change behavior. So we built what we wished existed: a system that supports people who want to change their habits, and gives them the structural support to do so.
Earlier this year, we won Union College's SparkLab 2025 competition, receiving $20,000 in funding along with mentorship from founders and industry experts. The program helped us refine our product and business model, and gave us early exposure through pitches and user feedback, validating the need for a tool like ours.
When it all boils down, this is what we truly believe in: get off your phone, read a book, spend time with people you care about. When your phone isn't taking up so much of your time, the world can be a pretty great place.
Sincerely,
The Tapd Team
Theo Goldman, Luke Randolph, Gavin Randolph, Theo Steiger
Come Build This With Us
Be part of a community building intentional digital wellness. Download Tapd and start your first focus session today.