AppFolio

AppFolio Inc
Public
Traded as NASDAQ: APPF
Industry Software
Founded 2007
Founder Klaus Schauser
Jon Walker
Headquarters Goleta, California, United States
Area served
 USA
Key people
 Klaus Schauser, Chief Strategist
Jon Walker, CTO
Brian Donahoo, President & CEO
Products

(see products)

  • AppFolio Property Manager
  • MyCase
Services Software as a Service
Number of employees
 500 (as of Jan 2015)
Website www.appfolioinc.com

AppFolio was founded in 2007 and offers software-as-a-service (SaaS) applications for vertical markets. AppFolio initially focused on Property Management. With the acquisition of MyCase in 2012, it expanded into the Law Practice Management industry.

The company’s headquarters is in Goleta, California, United States. It also has offices in San Diego, California; and Dallas, Texas.[1]

History

Founders

Klaus Schauser and Jon Walker founded AppFolio after identifying an opportunity to build easy-to-use web-based software for specific industries that did not have it at the time.[2] The software was specifically targeted as a solution for small-to-medium sized businesses, which do not often have an IT staff. As Walker described, this means “doing things like backups and handling security are really difficult, not to mention prohibitively expensive. That’s the real opportunity that we saw, where with Web-based software, the vendor takes care of all the IT functions at a much higher level, and at lower cost.”[3]

Before founding AppFolio, Schauser was a professor of computer science at UCSB and had previously started the company now called CitrixOnline. He also had a role in creating GoToMyPC, GoToAssist, and GoToMeeting.[4] Walker was previously chief technology officer of Versora and of Miramar Systems (which was sold to Computer Associates in 2004).[4][5]

Funding and Financial Info

In 2007, AppFolio obtained initial funding of $5 million in Series A from BV Capital to create Property Management Software and perform research for future products. Managing Partner at BV Capital, Mathias Schilling, stated that his company believed “that vertical applications are going to be the next big opportunity in the software as a service market, and AppFolio is uniquely positioned to capitalize on it… [due to a] proven understanding of how to maximize the software as a service model, as well as the needs of small businesses.”[6]

A year later, AppFolio obtained $22 million in a Series B funding led by BV Capital and Cisco.[7][8]

An existing investor, The Investment Group of Santa Barbara, approached AppFolio with another $8 million in unsolicited funding in 2009 in a move to become a bigger player in the company. AppFolio CEO Brian Donahoo stated with regard to the funding that “Our operating plan has not changed radically with the additional investment. We’re growing our sales and service teams a bit more aggressively, but essentially no other changes, just making sure our software is competitive and helpful to the user, not in their way.”[9]

In June 2015, AppFolio announced its IPO.[10][11]

Products

AppFolio Property Manager

The company's first product, AppFolio Property Manager, is a web-based real estate property management software system.[12] The first version was released in May 2008, less than two months after AppFolio received its second round of funding.[13] The software enables property managers to market and manage their portfolios. It includes accounting and property management functions that give users the ability to track and sendemail work-orders, post monthly owner statements to a self-serve online owner portal, and communicate with residents via email and text messageresident communications. Users can post vacancy ads to their own sites as well as dozens of sites across the web. and set up a personal website. (AppFolio conducted a survey in early 2016; one of the findings was that providing photos or videos of the property can be very valuable – almost 25% of potential tenants will not consider pursuing a property that does not have these visual aids (i.e. the user will eliminate the property from the search).[14][15]) A mobile app gives users mobile access to their data.[16][17]

In October 2012, AppFolio announced a partnership with PayNearMe (formerly Kwedit) that enabled a process in which tenants could pay their rent with cash at 7-Eleven or ACE Cash Express locations at any time.[18]

MyCase

MyCase is a web-based law practice management software application for lawyers; it allows attorneys to manage their law firms with cloud computing – including contact and case management, calendaring, time tracking, billing and online payments – and is available as a mobile app.[19] MyCase also provides websites for lawyers.[20] The company was founded by Matt Siegel, Alex Dikowski, and Chris Schulte [21] and launched in January 2011.

Key features of the product include the ability for users to: sync with third-party calendars (e.g. Microsoft Outlook, iCal, Google Calendar); manage contacts, cases, matters, group tasks, and documents; enter time; and perform billing and payment functions. The company released a built-in word processor and document generation tool, MyCase Draft, in early 2012.[22]

Since being acquired by AppFolio in 2012, MyCase has released several new features, including “MyCase Workflow,” integration into QuickBooks,[23] website development and maintenance services for law firms, and “MyCase Payments,” a feature that allows users to accept payment via e-check.[24] In early 2016, MyCase announced that it would be expanding MyCase Payments later that year. It would then include a built-in credit card payment option.[25]

Awards and Recognition

Best in Biz Awards

CODiE Awards (Software & Information Industry Association (SIIA)

Customer Sales and Service World Awards

Glassdoor Employees’ Choice Award:

IT World Awards (Network Products Guide)

Multi-Housing News Tech Choice Awards

National Association of Residential Property Managers (NARPM)

South Coast Business & Technology Awards

Stevie Awards (American Business Awards)

UX Magazine Award

References

  1. ↑ "Behind The Scenes at AppFolio". AppFolio, Inc. Retrieved 7 June 2016.
  2. ↑ Miller, Aimee (6 April 2011). "Interview with Jon Walker, AppFolio's CTO and Founder". AppFolio blog. Retrieved 6 June 2016.
  3. ↑ McFadden, Kevin (6 September 2010). "AppFolio Stakes Out Territory in Field of Property Management Software". Noozhawk. Santa Barbara, CA. Retrieved 6 June 2016.
  4. 1 2 "AppFolio Executive Team". AppFolio, Inc. Retrieved 5 August 2013.
  5. ↑ LaMonica, Martin (11 March 2004). "CA buys desktop management software maker". CNet. Retrieved 6 June 2016.
  6. ↑ "AppFolio, Inc. Secures $5 Million in Series A Funding" (Press release). AppFolio, Inc. 20 February 2007. Retrieved 5 August 2013.
  7. ↑ "Appfolio Raises $22M". SOCAL TECH LLC. Retrieved 5 August 2013.
  8. ↑ "AppFolio Received $22 Million for Property Management Software". Venture Capital Update. Retrieved 5 August 2013.
  9. ↑ Wood, Chris (1 October 2009). "Download of the Week: Q&A with AppFolio CEO Brian Donahoo". Multifamily Executive. Hanley Wood Media, Inc. Retrieved 9 June 2016.
  10. ↑ Potthoff, Gina (28 November 2015). "Goleta's AppFolio on Steady Path to Expansion, Success with Cloud-Based Software". Noozhawk. Santa Barbara, California. Retrieved 1 June 2016.
  11. ↑ Taulli, Tom (26 June 2015). "AppFolio: Riding The Next Megatrend Of The Cloud". Forbes. Retrieved 1 June 2016.
  12. ↑ "Product Features". AppFolio. Retrieved 5 August 2013.
  13. ↑ "AppFolio, Inc. Announces Launch of AppFolio Property Manager" (Press release). AppFolio, Inc. 30 May 2008. Retrieved 5 August 2013.
  14. ↑ Hammond, Alexis (16 February 2016). "Hail All Property Managers: What Today's Renters Expect, Want & Need". Retrieved 2 June 2016.
  15. ↑ Rafter, Dan (23 February 2016). "AppFolio study: Today's renters focused on online services". REJournals. Real Estate Communications Group. Retrieved 1 June 2016.
  16. ↑ Wood, Chris (23 February 2011). "Multifamily Maintains Brisk Smart Phone App Deployment". Multifamily Executive 2011. Retrieved 5 August 2013.
  17. ↑ Bickerstaff, Reynolds (21 October 2014). "8 Useful Mobile Apps for Property Managers". Waddell Realty. Retrieved 6 June 2016.
  18. ↑ Perez, Sarah (17 October 2012). "PayNearMePartners With AppFolio: Now Tenants Can Pay Their Rent In Cash At Local 7-Elevens & ACE Cash Express Stores". Tech Crunch. Retrieved 2 June 2016.
  19. ↑ "MyCase Features". MyCase. Retrieved 5 August 2013.
  20. ↑ Ambrogi, Robert (17 October 2013). "MyCase Expands into Law Firm Websites". Law Sites. Retrieved 13 June 2016.
  21. ↑ McCroskey, Miranda (21 November 2014). "101: Matt Spiegel of MyCase discusses his journey to the creation of MyCase". Lawpreneuer Radio. Retrieved 10 June 2016.
  22. ↑ "MyCase Launches MyCase Draft Application, First of its Kind Word Processor". PR Log Press Release Distribution. 29 March 2012. Retrieved 10 June 2016.
  23. ↑ Squillante, Neil J. (18 September 2013). "MyCase: Read Our Exclusive Report". Techno Lawyer. Retrieved 10 June 2016.
  24. ↑ Ambrogi, Robert (22 October 2015). "MyCase Users Can Now Accept E-Check Payments from Client". Law Sites. Retrieved 10 June 2016.
  25. ↑ "MyCAse Announces Expansion of MyCase Payments". Legal IT Professionals USA. 29 March 2016. Retrieved 10 June 2016.
  26. ↑ "2013 winners: Product categories". Best in Biz Awards. Retrieved 7 June 2016.
  27. ↑ "AppFolio Wins "Best Places to Work" Awards". Barrons. 9 December 2015. Retrieved 7 June 2016.
  28. ↑ "2015 winners: Company categories". Best in Biz Awards. Retrieved 7 June 2016.
  29. ↑ "2016 Finalist". Software & Information Industry Association. Retrieved 7 June 2016.
  30. ↑ "Winners of the Annual 2016 Customer Sales and Service World Awards". Customer Sales and Service World Awards. Archived from the original on 30 October 2014. Retrieved 7 June 2016.
  31. ↑ "Best Small & Medium Companies to Work For". Glassdoor. Retrieved 7 June 2016.
  32. ↑ "Winners of the 9th Annual 2014 Hot Companies and Best Awards". Network Products Guide. Retrieved 7 June 2016.
  33. ↑ "Winners - 10th Annual 2015 IT Awards". Network Products Guide. Retrieved 7 June 2016.
  34. ↑ "Finalists - 11th Annual 2016 IT World Awards". Network Products Guide. Retrieved 7 June 2016.
  35. ↑ "Meet the 2012 MHN Tech Choice Winners". Multi-Housing News. 20 September 2012. Retrieved 7 June 2016.
  36. ↑ "Meet the 2013 MHN Tech Choice Winners". Multi-Housing News. 27 September 2013. Retrieved 7 June 2016.
  37. ↑ "Meet the 2014 MHN Tech Choice Winners". Multi-Housing News. 12 September 2014. Retrieved 7 June 2016.
  38. ↑ "AppFolio Selected as 2009 Affiliate of the Year by the National Association of Residential Property Managers (NARPM)" (Press release). AppFolio, Inc. 27 October 2009. Retrieved 7 June 2016.
  39. ↑ Miller, Aimee (14 October 2010). "Live from NARPM's 22nd Annual Convention and Trade Show". Property Manager. Retrieved 7 June 2016.
  40. ↑ "AppFolio Chosen as 2010 Affiliate of the Year by the National Association of Residential Property Managers (NARPM) for 2nd Consecutive Year" (Press release). AppFolio, Inc. 20 October 2010. Retrieved 7 June 2016.
  41. ↑ Kacik, Alex (15 June 2012). "AppFolio's Klaus Schauser Tailor-Made for 2012 Entrepreneur of the Year Award". Noozhawk. Santa Barbara, CA. Retrieved 7 June 2016.
  42. ↑ "2014 Customer Service Awards Categories Stevie Award Winners". Stevie Awards. Retrieved 7 June 2016.
  43. ↑ "2015 Marketing Awards Categories Stevie Award Finalists". Stevie Awards. Retrieved 7 June 2016.
  44. ↑ "2015 Customer Service Awards Categories Stevie Award Winners". Stevie Awards. Retrieved 7 June 2016.
  45. ↑ "2015 Company/Organization Awards Categories Stevie Award Winners". Stevie Awards. Retrieved 7 June 2016.
  46. ↑ "2016 Customer Service Award Winners". Stevie Awards. Retrieved 7 June 2016.
  47. ↑ "Announcing Winners in the International Design for Experience Awards". UX Magazine. 21 March 2014. Retrieved 7 June 2016.

External links

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