Halifax-based Bloxo Inc., which aims to improve access to recreational sports, has partnered with Sports Nova Scotia’s reSPORT initiative and will launch the full version of its mobile app this winter.

Within a single application, Bloxo will allow facility managers to post open time slots, for sports organizers to book those slots and bring in other players, who can join and pay for a game. For example, if you want to organize a soccer game, you can book a field, invite your friends to join and have them pay their share of the costs – all on one app.

The reSPORT initiative was created to deliver solutions that aid segments of the population who are excluded from sports and help overcome barriers to sports participation. It now champions nine new methods of delivering sports, with Bloxo making the 10th.

“When I came to Canada, the system was so complex to me,” said Bloxo founder and CEO Mubdu Alali, who is an international student from Saudi Arabia. “I just wanted to play sports and it was overwhelming. The signup process can take weeks and involve complex processes, for some people that might not even be able to use email.”

Since the beta launch in April, the Bloxo team has been adding new features in accordance with its development plan and user feedback. The team has also forged partnerships with sports institutions and facilities like SMU athletics, local YMCAs, and Halifax PLAYS. These partnerships with larger institutions are the key to Bloxo’s current and future expansion.

Bloxo and Four Other Teams Win $25K Each from Volta Cohort

The Bloxo app is available for download on both Apple and Android devices and uses a simple interface so participants can easily sign up and join any type of game that organizers have posted. Some games are free, but Bloxo will also link to payment methods and charge 15 percent of the organizers’ chosen price. The goal is for users to be able to join and pay with three clicks.

“My motto is simple,” said Alali “We want to create alternatives for people. There is a physical activity crisis [and it is] Canada-specific. We have an F rating for adults.”

The platform has clear utility for facility managers looking for ways to fill their open time slots and maximize revenue. Currently, booking a space for your game as an organizer can consume a huge amount of time. It can involve searching different venues and communicating with the managers. Bloxo wants to put that all into one app so renting a space for a soccer or badminton match can be as easy as the three-click join.

While development continues, Alali has been honing his pitch skills. Bloxo recently won The Spark Zone pitch contest and was declared a winner of the Volta Cohort – which comes with $25,000 in funding as well as office space and other support. To date, Bloxo’s founders have largely financed the company themselves or sought investment from family and friends. Now, Alali says they have runway for more than three months. That’s enough for the full launch and time to develop a clearer view of the company’s value and market before an initial funding round.

Growing out of Saint Mary’s University Entrepreneurship Centre, Bloxo’s five-person team now works from Volta.