Press Kit

Screen time apps are built around adding friction to the way you use your phone, but is there any amount of nagging or nannying that can actually change your habits? We don’t think so. We believe that the only long-term way to change your habits is by learning to say no, yourself. Island is our attempt to square this circle. We give users an island to take care of where they can see the consequences of their actions. We took inspiration from idle games, some of the most addicting experiences in gaming, and tried to use those same mechanisms for good.

The issue a user has when they see a wall telling them their limit is up is, what do they do now? The key is to give people something else to do, not just to stop them. Our hope with Island is that the next time you find yourself opening one of these apps, you'll open Island first to see how much time you have left. And while you’re there you might just get that dopamine fix from renovating your farm.

The team met while studying at the University of Waterloo and, after many ill-fated misadventures in the world of B2B SaaS, realized that they would rather die than spend the rest of their lives on dashboards and KPIs.