Tell us about your company and the problem it solves, or its benefit to learners or educators.
AppsAnywhere is the only student-first application delivery platform built for higher education. Serving more than 3 million users across 300+ institutions in 22 countries, AppsAnywhere empowers colleges and universities globally to deliver any software application to any device, anywhere—on or off campus. Purpose-built for the needs of modern learners and IT teams, our platform simplifies access, supports hybrid and BYOD environments, and removes the technical barriers that can limit student success. We combine powerful delivery technology with a seamless digital experience to help institutions create more flexible, accessible, and scalable learning environments.
Where did the idea come from to create your company?
We saw that delivering software within a university was uniquely complex, arguably more so than any other industry. Managing machine imaging, software updates, lifecycle management and the constant churn of new users created a logistical nightmare. In higher ed, a quarter of new users cycle in and out every year – no other sector operates like that. At many universities, a student could use a different device every single day, whether in libraries, open access spaces or 24/7 labs. This means every different machine would need to be able to support hundreds of different use cases – engineering, nursing, design students – and often hundreds of apps.
It became clear this model wasn’t sustainable. A new approach was needed – one built specifically for the demands of higher education. That’s when we founded AppsAnywhere: a solution that enables students to access the software they need, anytime, anywhere. Unlike other platforms adapted from the enterprise world, we built AppsAnywhere from the ground up for higher ed institutions and their constantly evolving needs.
Tell us about one challenge and how you overcame that challenge?
Higher education presents a unique set of challenges that most other sectors don’t encounter. After speaking with over 500 universities, we discovered that while institutions have their own cultures and processes, many of their core IT challenges are strikingly similar.
The upside is that solving a problem for one university often means solving it for many others. But it also means we need to be constantly listening and iterating. When one partner voices a new concern, it’s often a sign of what’s coming for others.
That’s why we prioritize close collaboration with our institutional partners. By actively engaging with them, we’re able to stay ahead of emerging issues, adapt our roadmap, and create shared solutions that benefit the entire AppsAnywhere community.
And to that end, for students, our goal is to help universities make students’ experience of accessing applications as simple and seamless as possible by creating a single point of access for those applications – similar to a Netflix experience they have come to expect. Students aren’t bogged down hunting for different applications – it’s all streamlined and easy to launch.
What are you most proud of?
I’m most proud of the deep lasting relationships we’ve built with our customers. We are not seen as just another software vendor/supplier – we are truly partners to the institutions we serve. At events or in-person meetings, we experience genuine connections with our university partners. It’s not uncommon for our customer success team to be greeted with hugs, based on the bond they have established. That level of trust and mutual respect we’ve earned by being responsive, reliable and above all having a genuine desire to help them achieve shared objectives. Our very first customer is still with us 15 years later, a true testament to the strength and longevity of our customer relationships. And the icing on the cake, we just hit a Net Promoter score of 100+, the highest score possible. This just keeps motivating us to continue raising the bar for our institutional partners.
Where do you see your company in 5 years?
Our mission has always been clear: to help the education sector deliver software to students and staff in a simple, seamless way—so institutions can focus on what matters most: education.
As technology becomes more essential to learning, ensuring every student has access to the software they need—regardless of their device, location or personal circumstances—is critical. AppsAnywhere helps create a level playing field, giving all students the tools required to succeed in their studies.
It’s incredibly important we stay ahead of major challenges impacting the higher ed sector including budget pressures, staff shortages and the realities of long-term sustainability. These barriers are prompting many institutions to seek more cost-effective, scalable alternatives. IT leaders are being asked to balance rising technology demands with reduced resources, stricter vendor licensing and growing cybersecurity threats.
Over the next five years, we plan to deepen our partnerships with existing institutions, continue expanding across North America and globally and double the size of our team and customer base. As higher education continues to evolve, AppsAnywhere is positioned to be a trusted ally—helping universities modernize software delivery while protecting budgets, supporting IT teams, and advancing student success.