We have been featured by Google! #WeArePlay – Google I/O Connect

“We have been Spotlighted by Google on their #WeArePlay! Campaign. We are one of three companies selected to represent Romania.” – This was the news that we celebrated and marked an important day at Cobalt Sign.

Last year we were honoured to be featured by Google with our travel app, Ready Set Holiday!, and invited to attend the Google I/O Connect Conference in Amsterdam. These moments highlighted the hard work our team puts into creating apps that are loved by millions.

The #WeArePlay campaign by Google shines a spotlight on companies and their tech contributions. It celebrates the developers behind popular apps and their apps on Google Play, highlighting their innovative products, services, and technologies.

In 2023, the #WeArePlay campaign spotlighted our travel app, Ready Set Holiday!, as part of its focus on European developers. This campaign featured stories from 42 countries, demonstrating the diverse and dynamic landscape of app development across Europe. The campaign provided a platform for us to share our journey and achievements with a broader audience, celebrating our dedication to creating impactful digital solutions.

Ready Set Holiday! is our travel app designed to make trip planning straightforward, stress-free and engaging. As of June 2024, the app has over 2 million downloads and 27 thousand ratings, with an average rating of 4.8.

Oana and Arthur, the co-founders of Cobalt Sign, have always loved travelling. Their passion for travel and mobile technology inspired them to create Ready Set Holiday!, an app that helps people plan and look forward to their vacations. As parents, they wanted the app to be family-friendly and appeal to travellers of all ages.

The app allows users to create a countdown to their holiday, adding an element of anticipation. It also includes features like weather, safety tips, packing lists, tours and activities, and destination guides to ensure a smooth trip.

Ready Set Holiday! is a practical tool for every traveller. The app is continuously updated with new features to help travellers improve their experiences. It’s an app that every travel enthusiast should have on their phone, making holidays more organised and stress-free.

Along with the honour of having our travel app, Ready Set Holiday!, spotlighted, we were invited to the Google I/O Connect 2023 event in Amsterdam. Four of our colleagues attended this conference in June 2023, connecting with tech enthusiasts and other fellow featured teams.

Google I/O Connect is an annual developer conference organised by Google, showcasing the latest technologies and updates. This event brings together developers, tech enthusiasts, and industry experts from over 90 countries, including Europe, Africa, and the Middle East. The conference is designed to foster innovation, share knowledge, and build a global community of tech professionals.

Held in Amsterdam, the event featured a variety of activities, including keynote presentations, technical sessions, hands-on workshops, and networking opportunities. Attendees could explore developments in fields like mobile app development, web technologies, artificial intelligence, and cloud computing. The diverse range of sessions allowed participants to tailor their experience based on their interests and professional needs.

The first day was all about getting to Amsterdam and taking a break to rest. Participants from different places arrived in the city, preparing for the event ahead.

The second day was the core of the event’s educational journey. It began with breakfast and opening remarks, setting the stage for a day of learning. The day was divided into different parts, each focusing on a specific area of technology. Some sessions included:

• Mobile Stage: Provided insights into mobile app development, exploring new ideas and best practices.
• Web Stage: Covered the process of creating user-friendly and secure websites and online applications, highlighting new tools for efficiency.
• AI Stage: Focused on machine learning, explaining how to create smarter apps and solutions by teaching computers to think like humans.

Participants could choose sessions that interested them, allowing for a unique and personalised learning experience.

The third day was more relaxed, offering time to reflect on what was learned and the new connections made. It was also a chance to say goodbye as the event came to a close.

Google I/O Connect 2023 and the #WeArePlay campaign gave us a platform to share experiences, gain insights, and explore new tech trends. The event brought together tech enthusiasts from around the world, making it an important opportunity for our team.

Day 2 was a key part of the event. One colleague mentioned enjoying the happy hour and the boat trip near the Sugar Factory, which provided a good setting to meet other attendees. Another team member highlighted learning new things about Android Studio Bot and Google’s accessibility tools.

Beyond the conference, they explored Amsterdam, creating experiences that added to our journey. 

The Google I/O Connect experience was more than just learning about tech. It was about creating connections, sharing knowledge, and feeling a sense of accomplishment as we represented Cobalt Sign on a global platform. 

Cobalt Sign’s participation in the #WeArePlay campaign highlights our dedication to innovation. As we move forward, we are committed to pushing boundaries, embracing challenges, and creating digital solutions that matter. We look forward to future opportunities to showcase our work and connect with the global tech community.