Two high school friends, Eshaan Shetty and Thiago Sardenberg, have developed the Sapling app, which rewards users with credits for completing tasks. These credits can be used to purchase trees used in reforestation projects. Despite living on opposite sides of the country, Eshaan in San Jose, California, and Thiago in Boca Raton, Florida, the two friends collaborated on the app over the summer. Eshaan’s father, Satish Shetty, who is a Microsoft veteran, founded Codeproof, a mobile device management platform, in Redmond in 2011 before moving to Silicon Valley in 2021.
The Sapling app rewards users with credits for tasks completed, which can be used to purchase trees for reforestation projects through a fundraiser set up with the National Forest Foundation. Each completed task equals one credit, and 20 credits equal $1, enough to fund one planted tree. Users can view the tasks completed by themselves and others, as well as a map showing where the trees have been planted and details about the reforestation projects in those locations. Eshaan and Thiago’s goal was to create a productivity app that also helps the environment and reduces climate change by planting trees.
Eshaan and Thiago have always been good friends, and their synergy while playing video games online translates into their collaborative efforts on the Sapling app. The app has attracted around 100 users so far, and the fundraiser has brought in nearly $850. In addition to their work on the app, both teens are also considering college options after high school and are thinking about other projects that could benefit from technological solutions. Eshaan is interested in using technology to address the homelessness crisis in the Bay Area, while Thiago wants to create something to help combat ocean pollution.
The motivation behind creating the Sapling app was to impact the community by using technology to help the environment. Both Eshaan and Thiago are passionate about finding ways to make a positive difference, whether through planting trees to fight climate change or by exploring other technology-driven solutions to societal challenges like homelessness and pollution. The app allows users to contribute to reforestation efforts while also managing their daily tasks, creating a platform that encourages productivity and environmental awareness simultaneously.
Despite the distance between them, Eshaan and Thiago successfully worked together to develop the Sapling app, showcasing their dedication to their cause and their ability to collaborate effectively. Their friendship and shared values are evident in their work on the app and their joint efforts to make a difference in the world. Through their creation of Sapling, Eshaan and Thiago have demonstrated that young people can use technology to address important issues and contribute positively to their communities. Their success with the app and their future plans to continue using technology for social good highlight their commitment to making a meaningful impact on the world around them.
