# Backcast

> A social platform for idea sharing, research theme development, and collaborative innovation. (iPhone/iPad app by Hikari Suwa.)

- Source: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/backcast/id6468239243 (this page in markdown: same URL + `.md`)
- Developer: [Hikari Suwa](https://appshunter.io/developer/1709635367)
- Category: Social Networking, Business
- Price: Free
- Rating: 5.00/5 from 1 App Store ratings
- Age rating: 4+
- Requires: iOS 12.0 · 27 MB
- Languages: English
- Released: 2023-12-17
- Data updated: 2026-06-01
- Monetization: free
- User reviews in markdown: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/backcast/id6468239243/reviews.md

## What is Backcast?

Join a community of thinkers, dreamers, and performers in Backcast, the pioneering platform designed to turn your visionary wishes, no matter how big or small, into actionable research themes and technological breakthroughs. Your ideas are the sparks that ignite change, and with Backcast, we bring them to life!

How to use this app:
1. Explore Trees of Interest: Begin by searching for keywords that align with your interests. This will display 'trees' - our unique forums where specific themes are discussed. In these trees, you can engage in rich conversations about visions, approaches, and technologies with a community of individuals with a common interest.

2. Share Your Thoughts: Join any tree that resonates with your ideas and contribute your thoughts. Your insights and perspectives are valuable in shaping the collective understanding of the theme.

3. Create Your Own Tree: Have a vision for a specific future? Start your own tree and invite others to add their ideas and insights. Your tree is a space for nurturing and growing concepts that can one day become reality.

4. Personalised Feed: Your home screen feed will present you with topics, discussions in trees, and comments based on the tags you've selected. This tailored experience ensures you're always in the loop with discussions that matter most to you.

5. Connect and Collaborate: Found individuals whose technology interests align with your company's goals? Follow them, connect, and start a conversation. Backcast is not just about sharing ideas; it's a gateway to meaningful collaborations and partnerships.

6. Backcast is more than an app – it's a movement towards a future shaped by collective intelligence and shared visions. Join us, share your ideas, and be part of the change you wish to see in the world.

Why I am developing this app:

I want to be a researcher who develops technology that will impact the world.
However, I need to know what will be required in the future to conduct impactful research. Otherwise, I will not be able to formulate sound research themes.
If you become a researcher directly from a university, you will have more difficulty grasping the world's needs than someone working in a company. On the other hand, if you work for a company after leaving university, you may worry about falling behind as a researcher during that period.

I decided to plan this application to solve this problem and to create a system that makes it easier for university researchers to formulate research themes that will lead to solutions to future issues in the world.

I used the backcasting method as a reference. This is a method of thinking about what a particular area (e.g., physical health, environmentally friendly transportation) should look like in the future (e.g., 10 or 20 years from now), what approaches are needed to realise that ideal image, and what technologies will be required to learn those approaches.
The "what technology is needed" part is the research theme that will contribute to the world.

However, I also learnt that this method of backcasting is complex. If you think only about yourself and those close to you, you will think about the ideal future that affirms what you want to do and be biased.

Therefore, I decided to create this application, thinking that it would be a good idea if we could create a mechanism to share our ideas of what we believe the future should look like, the approaches and technologies to reach them, and then widely exchange opinions.

## Key features

- Explore 'Trees of Interest' forums
- Engage in discussions and share insights
- Create and manage your own topic trees
- Personalized content feed
- Connect with users for collaboration
- Develop actionable research themes


## Frequently asked questions about Backcast

### What is Backcast?

Backcast is a social networking platform designed to help users share visionary ideas and transform them into actionable research themes. It fosters a community where individuals can discuss, contribute to, and create topics related to future technologies and societal needs.

### How does Backcast help with research?

Backcast utilizes a 'backcasting' method reference, encouraging users to envision future ideal states and then identify the necessary steps, approaches, and technologies to achieve them. This process aids in formulating impactful research themes.

### Can I create my own discussion topics on Backcast?

Yes, you can create your own 'tree' on Backcast to nurture and grow concepts. This allows you to invite others to add their ideas and insights, fostering a dedicated space for your specific vision.

### How does Backcast personalize my experience?

Your home screen feed on Backcast is personalized based on the tags you select. It will present topics, discussions in trees, and comments that align with your interests, ensuring you stay updated on relevant conversations.

### Is Backcast suitable for professional collaboration?

Backcast is designed to facilitate meaningful collaborations and partnerships. You can connect with individuals whose technology interests align with your company's goals and initiate conversations.

### What devices is Backcast available on?

Backcast is available on iPhone, iPad, and iPod devices, supporting a wide range of Apple mobile hardware.

### How often is Backcast updated?

The latest version of Backcast is 1.1, and it was last updated on January 21, 2024. This indicates a relatively recent update, suggesting ongoing development and support.

### Does Backcast have ads?

No, Backcast does not contain advertisements. The app is free to use and does not display any ads to its users.

## Version history (last 2 releases)

### 1.1 — 2024-01-21

- 2024/1/21 Bugfix (Adjusting content filtering)

### 1.0 — 2023-12-17

No release notes.

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*Data collected daily from the US App Store and indexed by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/). User reviews are verbatim App Store reviews. Ratings, prices and chart positions refresh continuously; this snapshot is from 2026-06-01.*