Business

Irish duo's new alarm clock app rewards you for getting up

AN IRISH duo are set to change mornings as we know them with an alarm clock app that rewards you for waking up.

The app, First:Up, was created by Irish entrepreneurs Dan Moriarty and Ruaidhrí Finnegan, both 27, and will reward its users for waking up in the morning.

The idea behind the app, which will be available in Britain after its trial in Ireland, is that users select their desired rewards, whether its a healthy breakfast or discounted taxi.

Then, to avail of the reward, you just have to turn off your alarm each morning on time without hitting snooze and earn one 'sleep.'

App users then clock up the correct number of sleeps needed to redeem their reward, which will be emailed to them.

Co-founder Ruaidhrí Finnegan said: "Most alarm clocks seem to want to shock or frighten you into waking, which if you think about is not exactly the most welcoming start to the day.

"We want to turn this on its head by having an alarm app that not only looks and sounds great – but actually gives you reward goals to work towards in exchange for using our alarm."

The app, which was launched on May 11 as an early release to 2,000 Irish users, has also signed its first partnership with Pieta House, supported by Electric Ireland, the title sponsor of the Darkness into Light walk.

The intention is to utilise FirstUp as a channel to celebrate Electric Ireland’s successful partnership Pieta House’s Darkness into Light event that brought over 150,000 people out across Ireland in aid of suicide prevention awareness.

Brian Higgins, CEO, Pieta House said:“With the amazing turnout of this year’s Darkness into Light event, we wanted people to really understand the positive impact their decision to brave the early hours of Saturday morning had for Pieta House - and we thought what better way to do this than by rewarding them for waking up in the morning.

"We view FirstUp as an innovative and exciting young Irish company with real potential and we’re delighted to be involved with them in exploring avenues to engage participants of Darkness into Light in a meaningful and positive way.”

To get an invitation to take part in the early launch of FirstUp, you can sign up here.