From forest walks to world conquest – Anne Repo from Rautjärvi developed an app that can help thousands of people's everyday lives

KEHY is involved in developing a growth company.

CEO of Functionapp Oy Anne Repo has worked with people with special needs for 32 years. Years of experience have gradually crystallized into an application that helps people with neuropsychiatric characteristics cope with everyday challenges. Imatran Seudun Kehitysyhtiö Oy – KEHY has been involved in supporting the development of Revo's idea into the Neppie app and a growing business.

Anne is originally a childminder, and spent the first twenty years working in special education in Imatra. Since 2013, she has been an entrepreneur who coaches nepsy clients, trains their coaches, and provides guidance to professionals working with children or social services.

– People from the neuro spectrum are extremely interesting. Their way of seeing and experiencing the world is very different. When you come into contact with them, you see the world differently yourself, Repo explains his interest.

The entrepreneur, who lives in Rautjärvi, starts his workday early and finishes late. In between, he answers emails, meets with clients and partners – and takes obligatory walks with his dogs.

– I'm going to the forest to recharge my own brain. It's absolutely necessary if I can handle it.

Forest walks are not just for recharging, they are also part of the creative process that has led to the creation of the Neppie app.

When the phone grows in your hand

The idea for Neppie came from practical observations. Anne noticed how smartphones were becoming increasingly popular – especially among people with operational management challenges.

– It became this solution-focused idea: let's combine the benefits and disadvantages. If the phone is present in everyday life all the time anyway, why couldn't it be used to guide that everyday life so that it runs smoothly, the neuropsychiatric coach asks.

Neppie reminds, advises and encourages its users to complete important routines. In the application, the user's daily activities are broken down into parts and combined into task chains according to individual needs.

– For example, the app can start by waking you up. Then it tells you what to do next. You can decide whether to take a shower or make coffee. It guides you through the necessary steps to your door and finally to the place you need to go.

Task chains can be created in the application by, for example, a parent, support person or a mental health coach.

– Even as a coach, I can't be involved in people's everyday lives 24/7. My mother can handle routine guidance during those times when I can't be present, Anne explains.

The long road from idea to application

Like many innovations, Neppie's path has been winding. Anne first presented the draft of the application at a corporate idea competition a few years ago, with poor results.

– I was told that this doesn't make any sense. Maybe they didn't understand or I didn't know how to explain it properly.

The reception at Business Mill in Lappeenranta was completely different. The then director of the business incubator Mikko Ojapelto immediately saw potential in the idea, even for international markets. This inspired me to continue the development work.

– As a sole proprietor, you don't have the motivation to keep up with the people around you who are encouraging you, even if you have the desire to work on development, Repo reminds you.

With the help of Business Mill, the content, possibilities and potential of the idea became clearer. The help in preparing the pitch was particularly significant when Anne was preparing to present her idea to the students at the Skinnarila campus.

– It felt exciting, like being in the Lion's Den. The end result of the carefully crafted presentation was that three students took the idea and developed a demo out of it. The collaboration with the students lasted eight weeks, the entrepreneur recalls.

Imatra Regional Development Company Ltd – KEHY has also supported Anne at various stages. KEHY is responsible for advising start-up and operating companies in the municipalities of Imatra, Rautjärvi, Ruokolahti and Parikkala, as well as implementing and financing economic policy projects.

– I have been to KEHY several times to discuss financing and the application in general. And much earlier, when I was about to become a light entrepreneur, I considered the matter Antti Oravuon "He emphasized at the time that I had little risk in becoming an entrepreneur when I was selling my own expertise," Anne recalls.

Anne founded the limited liability company in 2019. The Neppie app was completed in 2023, and is now available for anyone to download from app stores. There are different versions of the app. The version for private use costs 7,99 euros per month, and can be used with a partner or children, for example. New subscribers can try the app for free for a month. There are separate prices and versions for professionals and organizations.

A multi-year project is bearing fruit

The development of the snaps has taken several years and there have been various stages along the way.

– The first version was a failure. Then we moved forward again when angel investors came on board. Through them, we made more contacts - people who have the know-how to practically make that app, the entrepreneur says with gratitude.

Feedback from users has been encouraging.

– Most have benefited. Of course, this is the same thing as everything else – it doesn't suit everyone. But the app organizes what to do, acts as a reminder, and then it automatically makes life easier.

An interesting observation has been that many people accept instructions from their phone, even if they would not accept the same instructions from their parent or teacher. The images, sounds or videos used in the application can be personalized according to the user, i.e., for example, illustrative images can be taken from their own home.

The benefits of snaps are easy to recognize, even for a layperson. You would imagine that there would be enough people who would benefit and be interested. But getting the product to potential customers is a lot of work.

– It's difficult to bring something new to the market and find marketing and sales channels for it. Investors have been very active and enthusiastic. We have a good feeling and they believe that this is a good thing. It has carried over the bumps, Anne smiles.

The entrepreneur's dream is to have an application for use in welfare areas, and the goal is not impossible.

– For example, professionals in the South Karelia welfare area could use the app in their work. It would free up their working time to support families with disabilities, as the app would take care of some of the things. At the same time, families would receive more support in their everyday lives, as the app is in use 24/7, Repo reminds.

Advice for other idea creators

Anne wants to encourage others who dream of entrepreneurship to boldly develop their own ideas from the ideas they generate in paid work.

– An employee or entrepreneur may not have enough knowledge or courage to take an idea forward. It is worth going to KEHY's ​​experts with just an idea. An idea can turn into a business surprisingly quickly, as happened to me.

A national growth company is currently being built in Rautjärvi.

– Things happen in the cloud these days, just like the development of this company. Then location doesn't matter so much. I think it's great that Neppie was born in South Karelia, praises KEHY's ​​business expert Jani Saajanlehto.

And when the development work feels overwhelming, Anne heads back to the forest with her dogs. There, in the middle of nature, the next ideas are born – and there she finds the strength to take them forward.

– It may be that I am not exactly neurotypical myself, that my interest in neuroscience comes from that. But if I can do something that helps other people live a better life, then I will do it. It brings meaning to life, emphasizes Repo.

Functionapp Ltd.

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