When will Transcapsule launch, anyway?
I started working on Transcapsule in 2016. I was two years into my transition and felt like I hadn’t documented my transition as regularly as I intended to when I started. Between the chaos of graduating college, moving out and changing jobs, keeping a journal of how my transition was going wasn’t a top priority. And to be honest, I was at the point of “passing”, which came with the privilege of living authentically without fear of being patronized. It felt good to just be me, but I wish I had more to look back on.
Now I’m 6 years into my transition and 3 years into building an app to help others document the transition process. More than 150 of you have filled out surveys and shared your stories, and you’ve donated over $2,000 to help get this thing developed. You’re probably thinking, when can I FINALLY download it, anyway? Fair question to ask about an app that has been “coming soon” for the past few... well... years.
The vision for Transcapsule is to help transgender and gender non-conforming people live healthier, more positive lives while proving the healthcare community with better data to support them. The past 3 years have been spent business planning, designing the app, working with developers, gathering your feedback, and lots and lots of grant writing.
Here’s a quick timeline. In the summer of 2018, I launched a Kickstarter and advanced as a semi-finalist on Maine’s “shark tank” show, Greenlight Maine. Although the Kickstarter was unsuccessfully funded, it justified to potential grant funders that other people beyond just me were interested in the app. Later that year, software developer, Elden Seropian, reached out and volunteered their time to get development started. Having this foundation helped to secure grants from the Libra Future Fund and the Maine Technology Institute to fund the beta.
Okay, so are you ready for some exciting news? As of December 2019, beta development was completed for iOS and Android! The beta will be released to a small group of users who will look for bugs and give their feedback. As a paired down version of the full app, the beta includes photo uploads, milestone tracking and reminders. Once beta testing is wrapped up and a few additional features are built out, Transcapsule will be released to the public as a low-cost subscription based service. This will ensure the app can continue to grow and be funded by the community, for the community.
Watch Transcapsule compete on Greenlight Maine
Episode 1:
Episode 2:
