BufferBox, Thalmic, and ...???
The VeloCity Venture fund (VVF) is on a bit of a hot streak.
A year ago, BufferBox won the $25K prize and turned that into a YCombinator spot and a multi-million dollar Google acquisition. 4 months ago, Thalmic Labs won the prize, also got into YCombinator and promptly sold almost $4M worth of gesture control armbands.
Needless to say, winning that prize puts you in some pretty good company. So with the following 4 startups winning the most recent round of VVF last week, it seems like a good time to take an early look and see who might be next to explode.
Disclaimer: We were one of the 4 winners, but I've done my best to keep the content unbiased.
CircIt: A hardware startup, they've built an inkjet printer that uses conductive & non-conductive ink to rapidly prototype circuit boards in a matter of minutes. For those who havent worked in hardware, this may not seem like a huge deal. But for those that have, you know how valuable this would be. To put it into perspective, the biggest companies typically wait a minimum of two days for a rudimentary circuit board, weeks if it has to be made in China. Having something viable in minutes is a game-changer. People will pay a lot of money for this.
DraftingSpace: If you've used 99 Designs before, you'll get Drafting Space. They enable homeowners to hold contests for home renovation designs (e.g. homeowner offers $300 for the best design for their new kitchen). Started by a couple architecture students, they know the problem space very well. Obviously you aren't going to get I.M. Pei redesigning your kitchen for you, but I have no doubt that most renovation projects would benefit from some professional love.
LumoTune: Another ridiculously cool hardware startup, these guys have built a scalable, transparent display that could eventually replace the TV. To be honest, I thought the concept was a little far-fetched when I first heard it, but they've got the street creds (they're all nanotechnology engineers) & word on the street is they have a functional prototype. Even if they don't have all the details locked down yet, the idea has so much potential that you have to take them seriously.
Tripzaar (us): When you have a local giving you the inside scoop on a destination, you always end up with a better experience. That's the premise of Tripzaar, which allows you to book trips planned and organized by locals. It's a relatively simple concept, but done right, it will change the way you travel. The beta has only been live for a month, but there's already been several trips booked and almost 100 trips available on the site.
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So there you have it. The four startups who stole the judges hearts to win VVF and battle to be the next BufferBox or Thalmic Labs.
Since we're one of the four companies, I've held off editorializing, but let's hear everyone's thoughts on which company is the most exciting.