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Matt Bukovicky, a senior business marketing major at Lamar University, and Charles Teel, a Lamar alumnus, are launching a new venture this week, an application for iOS devices called Lockbox.

Lockbox, which should be available in Apple’s app store this week, is a document and file storage application that uses biometric data to provide a higher level of security. The app is designed to work with Touch ID, the fingerprint recognition feature designed and released by Apple Inc., and currently available on the iPhone 5s, iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus.

Touch ID is heavily integrated into the Apple operating system on these devices and allows users to unlock the device, as well as make purchases in the various Apple digital media stores by touching the sapphire fingerprint sensor. Lockbox taps into the power of Touch ID to safely store information on the Internet, Bukovicky said.

“Lockbox uses Amazon servers off-site and is encrypted with the biometric fingerprint that you have to have in order to access the information,” he said. “The app utilizes a major feature that Apple brought out for developers in this last development kit.”

He expects Touch ID to also be available in new versions of the iPad and other products Apple may release in the future.

Bukovicky joined with Teel in developing the app. Teel earned a Lamar University MBA in 2011 with a concentration in entrepreneurship. Teel is owner and founder of Pocket Watch, LLC, a developer of mobile software for business and home users in Beaumont.

The two plan to offer the app for free for up to five files of 1MB each, with tiered plans that increase in cost and capacity. “We have a $5 annual plan for five files of unlimited size, a $10 plan for 20 files of unlimited size, and unlimited everything for $15 per year,” he said. Anyone interested can sign up to be notified of the app’s launch by providing an email contact at lockbox.pocketwatchllc.com.

Bukovicky came up with the idea of always having access to important documents without having to have his wallet, or remembering complicated and ever-changing passwords.

Bukovicky and Teel worked with Lamar’s Center for Innovation, Commercialization and Entrepreneurship in developing the app and business plan. “Having access to resources and expertise has been a tremendous help,” Bukovicky said. “There is no doubt the CICE has helped us move forward much more quickly than we could have otherwise.”

Bukovicky plans to continue his education by pursing an MBA after earning his bachelor’s degree.

Those interested in developing business ideas can contact Paul Latiolais at Lamar University's Center for Innovation, Commercialization and Entrepreneurship at (409) 880-8436.