Happy Holidays from Innovation Works!
As you finish up your holiday shopping, consider supporting the Pittsburgh tech startup community. We’ve included a list of consumer products developed by IW portfolio companies below.
2019 IW Portfolio Company Gift Guide
ANGLR
The ANGLR Bullseye is the easiest and fastest way to mark waypoints and catches without ever pulling out your phone or tapping around on a graph while fishing. Wear, stick, or hang this small, simple, and convenient button anywhere. Click Bullseye and automatically record catch locations, editable waypoints, conditions and more. At the end of the day, you’ll have all the information in as little or as much detail as you need.
Buy now: anglr.com/shop
DIAMOND KINETICS
The Diamond Kinetics suite of baseball and softball products enhance the learning and training experience for players of all skill levels, from youth to professional, and help you take your training to the next level. Whether it’s in the batter’s box or on the mound, there’s an app built for you. Special deal for our readers, use promotional code GIFT19 for a $10 off discount.
Buy now: diamondkinetics.com
DIGITAL DREAM LABS
Children as young as four can learn to program robots without a screen. Learn STEM skills while having fun! Puzzlets is a hands-on learning game system for thinking. Puzzlets combines hands-on play with interactive gaming to form one seamless experience, that engages the mind and teaches the player new ways of thinking.
Buy now: digitaldreamlabs.com/shop-now
FOXBLOSSOM
Foxblossom creates completely custom gift boxes, shipped directly to the recipient and topped off with a handwritten note! Shop their pre-curated holiday collection on the site, or create your own gift box using their Custom Gift Box Builder tool. Looking for holiday corporate gifts? Email corporategifting@foxblossom.com to work one-on-one with a gifting specialist and create a custom, branded gift box today! A special note from FoxBlossom: “We are a female-owned and -operated business. We’re proud to have an all-female team!”
Buy now: foxblossom.com
FUTUREDERM
The FutureDerm Time-Release Retinol has become an international sensation. And it’s no wonder — FutureDerm Time-Release Retinol includes 0.5%, 0.75% or 1.0% micro-encapsulated retinol suspended in a light gel. While other retinol can irritate sensitive skin, their unique formula gently delivers the anti-aging benefits of retinol for up to eight hours.
Buy now: futurederm.com/product/futurederm-time-release-retinol-0-5
FutureDerm’s Vitamin CE Caffeic Silk Serum is an exclusive brightening, tightening serum containing an unprecedented 16% vitamin C, 2% vitamin E, and caffeic acid, all suspended in a state-of-the-art silicone base. They have carefully calculated this formula to improve the skin’s appearance and smooth the texture.
Buy now: futurederm.com/product/futurederm-vitamin-ce-caffeic-silk-serum-162
MAKE IT HAPIN
A personal shopping and styling service that helps folks re-create the outfits they find online! Clients submit an image of an outfit they love, and Make It Hapin finds them the items to match within their size and price range! They offer gift packages for their highly personalized service and just released a FREE less-personalized version that serves all genders.
Buy now: makeithapin.com
OPTIKAL
Optikal is a contact lens subscription box. They break up the cost of an eye exam, contact lenses, and contact care supplies into monthly payments. You need a prescription to buy contacts, right? Well, if you don’t have an up-to-date prescription, they also cover the eye exam.
Buy now: optikalcare.com
RAPIDTPC
RapidTPC focused on the details to design the best wireless phone charger, making an elegant complement to your device. Natural wood or leather provides an ideal rest stop for a smartphone, while the Maezio™ Continuous Fiber-Reinforced Thermoplastic Composite (CFRTP) molded unibody elevates your device. The machined billet aluminum base gives the pad just enough heft and stability to keep it in place.
Buy now: kerfcase.com/products/wireless-phone-charger
ROMEO DELIVERS
With the Date Bucket List kit just for couples, you’ll never find yourself asking “what should we do for date night?” Printed on a cute collection of birch wood sticks, the date night-invigorating prompts run the gamut from romantic reverie (pack blankets and pillows and go stargazing someplace secluded) to intellectual stimulation (attend a lecture at a local museum or university). Once you’ve shared each experience, note the date on the back of the stick with the official bucket list pencil (provided). Made in the USA.
Buy now: uncommongoods.com/product/date-night-bucket-list
With the Family Fun bucket list, you’ll never find yourself asking “what should we do next?” Printed on a cute collection of birch wood sticks, the family fun-fostering prompts run the gamut from amateur astronomy (learn three constellations, then spend an evening stargazing) to encouragement to give back (volunteer as a family). Once you’ve shared each experience with your crew, note the date on the back of the stick with the official bucket list pencil (provided). Made in the USA.
Buy now: uncommongoods.com/product/family-fun-bucket-list
SPAND-ICE
Spand-Ice has created a natural ice and heat therapy solution designed to help eliminate backaches caused by pain, inflammation, recovery, or pregnancy. Made in the USA.
Buy now: spand-ice.com/shop
SUBTL BEAUTY
Subtl Beauty is portable, stackable, full-size makeup for those on the go. It’s literally your entire beauty routine in the palm of your hand.
Buy now: subtlbeauty.com
SWITCHEROO
Switcheroo is a simple solution to a common problem: a light switch in your home that controls an outlet, but not the outlet that you want it to control. Until Switcheroo, your options for correcting this problem were limited: hiring an electrician to rewire your home, running messy (and often dangerous) extension cords across your floors, or installing an overly-complicated and expensive smartphone/WiFi solution. Switcheroo works simply, with no complicated setup. Just set one Switcheroo to “Send” mode — turning the dial to select a channel — and plug it into an outlet that is currently controlled by a wall switch. Then, set one or more other Switcheroos to “Receive” mode on the same channel, and plug into any other outlets around your home. Like magic, all lights plugged into Switcheroos that are set to the same channel will turn on and off together with your existing wall switch.
Buy now: switcheroo.com
THREAD
A Better Backpack by Thread is a better way to carry your day, carefully designed with First Mile™ canvas.
Join the waitlist: threadinternational.com
VIRGINIA DERE
The Knee-Kini is a fashionable and colorful capri-length swimsuit for women who want a little modest coverage in the leg area, without forfeiting style!
Pre-order now: kneekini.com
HONEYCOMB
Not a gift, but definitely in line with the holiday season spirit of giving. Check out the local small businesses that are currently fundraising on the Honeycomb platform. Invest local: honeycombcredit.com.
COCOAPRENEUR
We’re also excited to check out the Holiday Gift Guide from our friends at Cocoapreneur. Shop local: cocoapreneur.com/cocoapreneur-holiday-gift-guide.
What are your favorite local gift guides? Share them in the comments.
