100 Coolest Startups: SUPA

The market for tech wearables is estimated to reach $70 billion in 2025, up from $20 billion in 2015 (IDTechEx).  In the rapidly expanding wearable market, wearables ranging from watches to glasses are transforming into supercomputers. But what’s next? Pants? Shoes? Bras? Yes, yes, and yes. Supa, a New York-based startup, is creating a smart bra.  The best part about this smart bra is its greater intelligence than the Fitbit on your wrist. Additionally, Supa’s technology can integrate into any bra, and eventually any article of clothing you have.

IoT, or the Internet of Things, is the future. (definition is at the bottom) It will essentially turn us into a beautiful combination of artificial intelligence and human intelligence. As Supa says, “its technology will give you ‘Supapowers.'” Once IoT begins to realize its boundless potential, everything, from the shoes we wear to the ovens we cook in, and the cars we drive will integrate with the internet to create our best selves. Our daily life, and particularly our health, is riddled with inefficiencies, but companies like Supa are using technology to eradicate these inefficiencies.

The Fitbit is inherently limited in its capabilities. Because the Supa bra is placed over the heart, its sensors can detect much of the vital data we need for our health.  Wearable technology clothing provides much more accurate heart rate readings than the Fitbit, allowing consumers to better understand and adjust how they handle their bodies.

In addition to a significantly better heart rate reading, the Supa bra, through its accompanying app, will be able to track weather, movement and more. Now is this bra some bulky and disgusting-looking contraption? Absolutely not.  Another massive selling point for Supa is their sensor technology can easily integrate with clothing, regardless of its brand.

So, once we have this health data, what do we do with it?  This is where the artificial intelligence (definition is at the bottom) segment of Supa becomes evident. In the not so distant future, sensor technology like Supa’s will not only track key health indicators but also auto-correct them. We will understand our bodies and how to improve them like never before.

While bras are Supa’s initial product, there is vast potential to expand into all clothing areas. The clothes we wear will ultimately transform into a sort of second skin that transforms us into the superheroes we always dreamed of being.

– Written by Mac Bolak, Contrary Capital

Read more about Supa here

 

 

“Artificial Intelligence: The field of artificial intelligence is the study and design of intelligent agents able to perform tasks that require human intelligence, such as visual perception, speech recognition, and decision-making. In order to pass the Turing test, intelligence must be able to reason, represent knowledge, plan, learn, communicate in natural language and integrate all these skills towards a common goal” (https://www.wired.com/insights/2014/12/wearing-your-intelligence/).

Internet of Things (IoT): “Simply put, this is the concept of basically connecting any device with an on and off switch to the Internet (and/or to each other). This includes everything from cellphones, coffee makers, washing machines, headphones, lamps, wearable devices and almost anything else you can think of” (http://www.forbes.com/sites/jacobmorgan/2014/05/13/simple-explanation-internet-things-that-anyone-can-understand/#72dc8ad68284).

100 Coolest Startups: Neurable

“The Force is what gives a Jedi his power. It’s an energy field created by all living things. It surrounds us and penetrates us; it binds the galaxy together.“- Obi-Wan Kenobi 

In honor of Rogue One’s release (which was terrific, check it out!). And, especially, in memory of Carrie Fisher, our dear Princess.

As an aspiring technology geek, I didn’t dive into the coolest technology for most of my youth. But, I was a HUGE Star Wars fan, watching all the movies on repeat and playing Battlefront into the wee hours. So, I was ecstatic when I heard about Neurable, a tech company making “the force” a reality. Plus, they’re from my hometown, Ann Arbor, Michigan (go blue)!

So, what is “the force” that Neurable provides to users?  Essentially, Neurable offers users the ability to control both physical objects and software with the mind. “The force” Neurable created mostly applies to virtual and augmented reality, instead of our physical reality. Yet, in the physical world, Neurable’s “technology has enabled people to play games, control toys and drive a full-sized car using only their thoughts” (Neurable’s website). Whoa, imagine driving a car with your thoughts!

Now, why is this important beyond its geeky coolness? Commercially, assuming that virtual reality doesn’t flop as smart 3D TV did (I doubt it will), the prime opportunity for Neurable is the gaming industry. Virtual reality gaming is fun and different, but has serious problems to overcome, including its high price point, concern over health effects, as well as the common tech challenge of “crossing the chasm.” To overcome these obstacles, the VR industry and its major players, such as Oculus, must continue innovating. This is where Neurable comes in with its novel thought-controlled gaming.

Imagine playing a totally immersive NBA 2k18 without the need for a controller or movement to influence your character. Picture racing down the court, as the crowd screams from all directions; you elevate, using all your mental willpower, to slam down a rim-rattling dunk. Neurable can make this dream a reality, as their game and thought immersion potential drastically faster than current thought-controlled games. Due to patent-pending technology to increase thought-processing speed, Neurable has the capability to create a much more immersive virtual world, similar to the physical world.

Neurable was invented to help disabled people control their limbs, as well as objects with their minds, but its initial commercial utility will be gaming. Neurable’s possibilities are as “Limitless” as Bradley Cooper after popping an NZT pill, augmenting virtual reality in all its facets. It will take time, but Neurable’s technology will jump-start the creation of a true virtual reality. In this virtual reality, we will use the superpowers we were meant to have, live the dream life we were meant to live, “explore a world without limitations,” (Neurable’s slogan) and, of course, “the force” will be with us.

You can read more about Neurable and how it works specifically on their website here: http://neurable.com/

-Written by Mac Bolak, Contrary Capital

This is the first of my Startups 100 series. In this at least weekly piece, I will detail 100 startups that are building something REALLY cool. The first of these 100 startups is Neurable, a tech company that allows users to control physical objects as well as software with their minds within virtual and augmented reality.

Start of Something

“Everything happens for a reason.”-Who knows

After reading such a trite opener, you may be tempted to stop reading.  But first, let me ask you to evaluate the phrase within your life and I will proceed to evaluate it in mine.  What was the ultimate result of your rejection from that dream job, dream girl or dream school? During and shortly after the rejection, you were likely distraught, but what did you learn, and what was the net effect of the event: positive or negative?

Peter Thiel, the renegade entrepreneur and venture capitalist who co-founded Paypal and Palantir, and prides himself on being a contrarian, says failure is not the learning experience the cliches claim it is and that success is a better learning experience.  I disagree with this contrarian; failure CAN make us wilt, but it can also make us great. I choose the latter.

If you told me a year ago, as I unpacked the innumerable boxes into my tiny CU-Boulder dorm room that I would be a Venture Capitalist within a year, I would’ve laughed, clapped, and walked away. Well, maybe I wouldn’t have gone that far, but I certainly wouldn’t have believed you, nor even would I  have known what a venture capitalist is. My startup journey began about a year and a half ago in Boulder’s startup workspace and incubator, Spark Boulder.  Attending weekly or more speaking events featuring Boulder’s best entrepreneurs planted an intense passion and yearn to learn more about the space, and this passion cultivated my first startup: Alldid. 8 months, 552 co-founder fights, 226 long nights, and 3 french hens later, I moved on and began looking for my next partridge in a pear tree (hey, happy holidays). But that’s a venture vent for another day.

When I arrived at CU-Boulder it quickly became apparent that I was different. But, I didn’t want to be different; I wanted the American Pie fraternity life the “cool kids” lived. But, that life didn’t want me. Once I realized that door was closed I began looking for the next door the universe would open. My purpose was and always will be different from the kids whose only goals are finding a sick party for the weekend. The door the universe opened manifested itself in opportunities for my first two startups: Alldid and NomNominate. Each time I got a little better at building a business and as I improved, another door opened: Contrary Capital.

Contrary Capital has blossomed into my favorite activity and the purpose I initially lacked. There’s something so compelling and inspirational in attempting to predict the future, as technology is undoubtedly the future. I meet with the coolest young Boulder companies and the best part is I am not a value-leech, I am offering them value by our potential investment. Venture capital has exceeded my wildest expectations and I can not wait to continue getting better and perform this job as long as the doors continue to open.

-Written by Mac Bolak, Venture Capitalist