PHOCUS

Less phone, more focus.

Technology should help you focus.

A hand resting on a phone that lies on the first Phocus mat prototype, on a wooden table.

Founded in Hasselt, 2025

The first prototype on VRT NWS · Read the article (Dutch)

From classroom to desk.

Sidar, Renée, Brent, Noah and Lucas met while studying together. Between deadlines, group projects and constant notifications, staying focused became harder every semester. The tools they used were built to grab their attention, not protect it.

They rarely got into a real “flow state”, and it frustrated them. So for a school project, they made a simple prototype: a basic mousepad with an NFC tag taped to the back. The rule was the same for everyone: phone down, focus on.

What started as a small experiment quickly spread across campus. Friends began asking for their own versions, and the project grew far beyond the classroom. That's when they decided to turn it into Phocus: built by students, designed for deep work.

2025

Founded in Hasselt

100%

Built by students

The team

  • Sidar Aydin

    Founder

    Was part of the student team behind the first prototype and runs Phocus today.

  • Ali Bakay

    Lead developer

    Leads the development of Phocus: the app for iPhone and Android, and this website.

Thanks to Jari Gielen for his help and ideas.

How we work.

Four rules we work by.

  • Privacy first

    Only what the app needs. No ads, no tracking.

  • Only what helps

    If a feature in the app doesn't help you focus, we leave it out.

  • Better together

    Focus is easier with others. Join a private team.

  • A real mat

    Your phone gets its own spot on your desk. Put it there, and you know it's time to work.