Matt Hagens

ENTREPRENEUR | March 23. Why talk, when you could just flash your phone screen to communicate with a bartender, for example, or a friend at a concert? Indeed, Matthew Hagens’ “No Chat” app lets you send a virtual billboard message like “close my tab” or “can I have another round” in any setting where verbal communication would be a challenge.

Background

“I started seeing a trend in bars and concerts where people took blank Snapchats to write a quick msg on their screen to communicate and thought there has to be a better way,” said Hagens, president of Denver, NC-based HagensMedia, and the creator of No Chat.

One-man band

Hagens, who says he is a one-man band—coder/creator/marketer—actually caught the attention of serial entrepreneur David S. Rose, who called it “a cool little app” with lots of uses. For Rose, No Chat makes calling a cab a lot easier in New York City.

Hunt for funding

Hagens has applied for Shark Tank and reached out to a few angel investors like Rose. At this point it’s an outreach game to prove a market and a strong app user base.

“I’m getting positive feedback, but as of right now it’s purely self funded,” he said.