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UnCorked Founder Interview Rapid Fire Round: Rodney Rice of Waldo Photos

SnapMunk   • < 1 min read

In this series of founder interviews, our Editor-in-Chief Benjamin Mann digs into the incredible minds, ventures and backstories of some of the world’s most […]

what3words Wants To Overhaul The Address System With Random Word Combinations

Stephen Altrogge   • 4 min read

The startup what3words wants to change the world by changing one of its most established naming conventions: the address system. Rather than rely on house numbers, street names and zipcodes, the app provides a three-word “name” for every location on the planet and helps you navigate to it using a traditional map app and a compass. It addresses holes in the U.S.’s address system, but, perhaps more importantly, it can work really well in developing nations.

Startups & Technology That Will Probably Kill The Password

Krystle Vermes   • 3 min read

People have wanted to kill the password for pretty much as long as passwords have existed. The futuristic technology for biometric authentication may be here, as shown by these startups that control access without text authentication. Looks like we are on the verge of the death of passwords.

The 9 Most Depressingly Well-Funded Crowdfunding Campaigns of 2016 So Far

Daniel A. Guttenberg   • 8 min read

These ridiculous crowdfunding campaigns are the most inexplicably successful of 2016 – and some of the worst business ideas. The year is only half over, but it’s already one for the record books.

Using Invoicely Confirms Excel Is Too Painful for Invoices and Expenses

Benjamin Mann   • 5 min read

As a small business owner and freelance writer, there are few things I love more than being paid. Conversely, there are […]

Tinder For Investments & Entrepreneurs – There Are At Least 2 Of ‘Em

Charles Costa   • 3 min read

Following in the footsteps of the “Uber For” craze, there is now a whole category of “Tinder For” apps. This roundup covers two such apps focused on investments and entrepreneurs. Just swipe right for love…and funding for your new business idea.

7 Startups & Technologies Every Coffee Lover Should Check Out

Krystle Vermes   • 3 min read

If you love coffee and everything that comes with being caffeinated, tech has caught up to speed with your addiction. […]

SIRUM’s Award-Winning Medicine-Matching Service Shows the Nonprofit Way to Startup Success

Daniel A. Guttenberg   • 4 min read

Kiah Williams has gotten used to the limelight in the past year – or at least she should have, given […]

This Umbrella Tells You When You Forget It And Sends Weather Updates When It’s Going To Rain

Charles Costa   • 3 min read

If you didn’t think you needed a smart umbrella, you haven’t seen the Oombrella. Using Bluetooth, crowdsourcing and a connected app, this handy device will alert you of incoming weather conditions, remind you when you’ve left it behind, and can even notify you of incoming calls or alerts.

The Happier App Helps You Look At The Bright Side of Every Day

Krystle Vermes   • 3 min read

Whether you’re trying to make a bad day less terrible or just looking to collect happy moments with others, Happier can probably help. The app, founded by Natalie Kogan, is a sort of social network focused on inspiration, positivity, and mental health.

We’re Going There: A $700 Home Laundry Folding Machine

Charles Costa   • 3 min read

It was hard to brag about technological progress when you were forced to manually fold your laundry, wasn’t it? Well those days are over … maybe. With two laundry folding machines poised for market, the technology shows promise but might not yet be ready to take over the household laundry duties.

Small Business Saturday: Making It a Year-Round Celebration

Krystle Vermes   • 4 min read

In 2015 Small Business Saturday generated $16.2 billion for local, independently owned businesses. We should do that more often. Here’s some tips for SMBs to take advantage of local marketing and ways consumers can share the small biz love.

The Geography of US Startups Probably Isn’t What You Think, According to The Kauffman Index

Daniel A. Guttenberg   • 4 min read

If you’ve ever wondered what the friendliest city is for startup growth or the best state is for an entrepreneur, you’ll be interested to know it isn’t Silicon Valley or California. At least not according to the Kauffman Index of Growth Entrepreneurship, which was released last week. It shows a different map of Startup Nation than one might expect, with the emphasis on new business on the East Coast.

F5 Fitness App Launching in July To Help You Find Fitness Buddies

Stephen Altrogge   • 3 min read

Finding a workout partner with the same sports interest and athletic level may be getting easier with the “F5″ (Find Fitness Friends for Free” app launches in July. The app will connect users with other people looking to buddy up in any and all athletic endeavors. It may not be groundbreaking, but its user interface and broad selection of sports interests may give it the traction it needs.

Detroit Startup Week: The Lowdown from Motown

Daniel A. Guttenberg   • 6 min read

Detroit Startup Week wrapped up last Friday. Can startups and these kinds of events finally re-rev the city’s business engine? We provide the rundown on all the events from this Chase Bank-sponsored event in the motor city.

We Spoke To One of the Authors of ‘Valley Speak’, The New Silicon Valley Jargon Guide

Benjamin Mann   • 12 min read

Ever wonder how much back-channeling goes on before an acqui-hire? Ever known someone in the C-Suite of a disruptive startup […]

5 Digital Assistant Apps To Simplify Your Daily Routine

Krystle Vermes   • 3 min read

Digital assistants can help make your daily routine easier by providing traffic updates, package tracking, event notifications, answers to your questions, and more. Here are 5 virtual assistant apps that break the mold.

Prize-Winning Wearables Promise to Prevent Drinking and Driving

Daniel A. Guttenberg   • 4 min read

In a bid from Challenge.gov to reduce drunk driving, these four companies received awards from the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism for their non-invasive wearables that measure blood alcohol content.

TechCrunch Disrupt New York 2016: The Highlights

Prateek Jose   • 9 min read

From the Hackathon and its winning tool – a CMS with voice recognition – to the Battlefield and its winning startup – Beam and its SDK to integrate with Twitch – to the most interesting keynotes, here are all the highlights from 2016’s TechCrunch Disrupt in New York.

A Connected Digital Canvas of Infinite Art for Under $500

Charles Costa   • 3 min read

More than just a digital photo frame, Meural is a stylish, connected canvas that allows you to view an unlimited collection of global art and photography in one single unit, including your own photography as well as images and art curated by museums, galleries, and studios.

This App Finds You The Hipster Area of Every Major City

Charles Costa   • 2 min read

Where Is Williamsburg is an app that finds you the hipster area of every major city around the world – bars with PBR, brunch spots, pour-over coffee shops, American Apparel and all. You may find it ironic, silly, or a statement on gentrification. Either way, it could be handy while travelling.

3 Startups Making Bill Payments Feel Slightly Less Like Torture

Charles Costa   • 2 min read

These three exciting startups are making the online bill payment process a little less horrible. From one consolidated bill to a tool to track your monthly subscription costs, each one offers something unique to take a little of the sting out of the task.

13 Startups I Need You To Not Start Up

Benjamin Mann   • 9 min read

At any given time, there are good startup ideas and there are bad startup ideas. Here are 13 bad ones. Email, messaging, networking, collaboration and friend finding apps – they’ve been done. And smart toys, foodie apps, and selfie sticks are killing our collective souls. So, when you’re looking for the next great business idea, please pass on these. Please.

Business Tips from Real Rockstar Entrepreneur Roger McNamee

Gail Barnes   • 7 min read

Roger McNamee is a successful entrepreneur, investor, philanthropist and founder of two nationally touring bands who has been called has been called the “Wizard of Sand Road.” He likens most of his endeavors to running a startup and gives us his most valuable business tips.

Slack-Integrated Hey Taco Gets Into the Employee Rewards & Recognition Game

Stephen Altrogge   • 3 min read

Slack has its own spinoff market of integrated products with one of the latest, Hey Taco, a simple spin on employee rewards and recognition. Of course, there’s not just one name in the game. This roundup of Slack integrations and employee recognition tools covers several startups.

Can iGrow Transform the Economics of the Farming Industry?

Prateek Jose   • 3 min read

Startup iGrow lets regular folks contribute to the growth and upkeep of crops and farming without ever having to handle a plow or pitchfork. The benefits may include a more human-touch in agriculture, improved crop output, and a improved standard of living for farmers across the world.

Startup Funding At 4 Year Low, Who Might Break the Trend?

Daniel A. Guttenberg   • 4 min read

With a 12% YOY drop in the number of startup funding deals in Q1, the questions is, are there any startups poised to challenge the trend? We look at the current classes of the leading accelerators/incubators and draw some lessons for the entrepreneur looking for the next big business idea.

FlipFlic Adjusts Blinds Based On Changes In Light & Temperature

Prateek Jose   • 2 min read

FlipFlic, now available through Kickstarter, automates the opening and closing of blinds with temperature and light sensors and a mobile application. This targeted smart-home device might represent a highly focused gadget for the internet of things.

Canadian Startup Ubifood Fights Food Waste With Local Deals On Overstock

Charles Costa   • 3 min read

Canadian startup Ubifood is looking to cut food waste with a smartphone app that connects hungry consumers with local, last minute deals from their excess inventory. It’s a green tech solution that should help retailers, hungry families, and the environment.

What’s The Startup Status In Renewable Energy?

Daniel A. Guttenberg   • 5 min read

Here’s what’s going on with clean, renewable energy when it comes to startups in the world of geothermal, solar, wind, and hydropower. You know – earth, sun wind, and water – the most renewable resources around.

Remidi Wearable Instrument Striking Major Chords with Music Makers and Incubators

Daniel A. Guttenberg   • 5 min read

Remidi is a glove and wristband that turns anyone into a one-man band. Play, remix and record songs on the fly. The rhythm is in your fingers. It’s also not the only wearable that is designed to turn your body into a musical instrument, but it might be the best.

Now There’s a Wi-Fi Enabled Wine Preserver Bottle with a Touch Screen

Prateek Jose   • 3 min read

In the latest of questionable Internet of Things devices, Kuvee has created a Wi-Fi-enabled wine bottle with a touch-screen and built in wine preserver to keep their payload fresh well beyond its normal life expectancy. It seems Indiegogo’s users think the idea is one worth backing.

Mentors & Mischief: Interview w Fernando Leon, Founder of fruitkit

SnapMunk   • < 1 min read

In our interview at SXSW 2016 with Fernando Leon, founder of fruitkit, a startup that delivers high quality fruit and vegetables as a Scandinavian subscription service, he tells us how he started with only $100. Literally.

Exo Raises Another $4 Million for Cricket Flour Protein Bars

Prateek Jose   • 3 min read

Cricket flour – and other forms of food from insects – is going global. Exo, the makers of protein bars with cricket flour, just raised another $4 million, bringing total funding to $5.6M, and a few other startups have gotten funding through Kickstarter and Shark Tank.

Vegas Street Lights To Be Powered by Pedestrian Footsteps

Prateek Jose   • 3 min read

Startup EnGoPlanet has created street lights that can run on solar energy and kinetic energy, the kind created by people walking. They may be a perfect solution for pedestrian-friendly cities like Las Vegas, saving energy and dollars, while also offering unique features like seating areas and smartphone charging stations.

Ulli, The First AI Powered Mobile Browser

Gail Barnes   • 4 min read

Ulli, a mobile web browser from startup tech company Biggerpan, will use artificial intelligence to provide smart “searching” that doesn’t actually require search at all. The self-proclaimed “first intelligent browser” is in closed beta, but stands to create a new kind of AI at the intersection of vertical and horizontal services.

Incubation Frustration: 4 Reasons Accelerators Can Lead To Stalls

Daniel A. Guttenberg   • 5 min read

Getting into an incubator or accelerator program is the dream of many tech startup founders, but the model isn’t perfect, and can sometimes lead to company failures rather than growth. Consider these four potential shortfalls of the incubator model before hitting the accelerator.

Introducing: UnCorked Episode 1 – Uncensored, In-Depth Startup Founders Interviews

SnapMunk   • 2 min read

UnCorked digs into the background, mind and work of the world’s most interesting startup founders, while the host and his guest dig into a bottle of wine. In our introductory episode, we introduce you to Von Raees, President & Founder of Beacon Media and Kraver, an artificial intelligence solution to finding your next meal.