I love trade shows. They serve as one of the birth places of my entrepreneurial spirit (more about this later). As a regular at some of the largest trade shows in the world, I wanted to do a quick highlight at one other: CES.
The Consumer Electronics Show (CES) is ubiquitously recognized as the oasis to showcase new technologies that will be in the hands of millions around the world. Major players such as Samsung, Intel, Google and a multitude of other large companies make headline news as 150,000 attendees get a firsthand look of what the future holds in the consumer electronics industry.
Despite the big players, it’s the exciting startups that are always fun to acknowledge. From wearable technologies and nutrition to personal robotics and entertainment, what’s possible to see at these shows is only limited by the scope of your imagination.
So without any more delay here’s my lowdown on the 5 tech startups to watch.
5) Bungajungle
Ever get tired of holding your phone up all the time? Have you ever wanted an easier way to engage and use your mobile devices? Well it certainly frustrated Hawaiian Founder Ananda Svarupa Das enough to create a product that helps you interact with mobile devices in a way you probably didn’t think of.
“Tablets, laptops, phones are meant to be mobile, yet the stands that I have come across just didn’t offer that mobility. I didn’t want to be stuck in one position or place,” says Das – and Bungajungle is born.
After raising $19,779 on crowdfunding site Kickstarter, Das raised quite a bit of interest at this year’s CES.
“We are setting up an industry standard for mobile products, and we also currently have a set of products already in production.” Go ahead and get them while supplies last. I know I will be.
See the video here:
Fifteen days into the New Year, people all over the world are continuing to manifest their new year’s resolutions through hitting the gyms and eating healthier. But while working on your sexy summer body, did you ever think there was a way to effectively calculate all the nutritional value of your entire meal at once? Yup. You heard that right. Introducing the world’s first patented smart food scale. Founder Nick Batsikouras is on a journey to make the world a healthier place. Health freak friends, this one’s for you.
Check out how it works.
3) Keecker
I don’t know about you guys, but growing up I’ve always wanted a robot buddy who could entertain me. Looks like I’ve finally found him.
Founded by ex-Google employee Pierre Lebeau, Keecker is a smartphone-controlled robot and is arguably attempting to do something very ambitious: completely rethink home entertainment as not a tricked-out living room, but a robot that follows you wherever you go. It’s bringing the home entertainment system to you whenever you desire. Lebeau says the company plans to retail the device for somewhere around $5,000 and launch the product with a crowdfunding campaign later this year.
2) Zepp Labs
I’m always looking to improve my golf game, whether it’s by recording my swings, learning from better players, or reading articles. But this startup is something else. Founder of Zepp Labs, Jason Fass from Los Gatos, California, is currently taking on one of the biggest companies in the tech world, Sony, to compete in the world of sports tech. At CES, Sony announced a new sensor to track your tennis game. Zepp has a similar offering: a small sensor that clips onto the racket to track swings, power level, shot style, spin, and your time on the court; as well as a sensor for golf gloves. The company also announced a new tracker for basketball.
Check out the video here:
1) Touchjet
Founder Li Jiang from Singapore brings us arguably the coolest and sexiest startup to hit CES headlines this year – the smartphone-sized pico projector. But it’s not like any other projector – its interactive and two-way, meaning you could use it to project your Skype chat on a wall. The Android device connects to your phone to stream wirelessly. In addition to using it to stream media, you also can use it to create a touch surface on say, a wall or a table, that interacts with a stylus pen. Touchjet plans to launch the device, which will retail for around $500, to consumers via an Indiegogo campaign in February. Touchjet won the day as New York angels investors are crowding together salivating in its potential given its’ simplicity, price and scalability.
Check out the video here:
Grand Prize:
This company shouldn’t require any introduction. With R&D stretching a little over 3 years, Oculus Rift was the company that depicts the future of gaming. Founder Palmer Luckey from LA has successfully delivered on his dream, and later this year rumor has it that that gaming device of the future will be hitting stores for a reasonable price tag of $500. Check out the article on Forbes.
Honorable Mentions
Glass Up
Founder Francesco Giartosio is competing against Google Glass with a much lower price point.
I’m excited for these ambitious founders and wish them well on their success. You gotta love technology.
