2020 On-site Optometry
Other2020 On-site Optometry offers affordable, quality vision screening and eyewear solutions, all conveniently located in the back of a passenger vehicle. 2020 Onsite Optometry can transport its operation to a nearby business or school to provide customers with the highest level of convenience.
Customers can get an eye exam and glasses fitting in less than 15 minutes without the hassle of having to visit an eye doctor.
2020 On-site Optometry offers a full-service optometry operation, including advanced screening technology, HD retinal imaging, and a full frame selection, all conveniently located in a van or bus that comes to the customer. Additionally, the company partners with public schools to provide eye-screening days and donates glasses to underprivileged children in need.
EVALUATION FRAMEWORK
Allbirds
Apparel and FootwearAllbirds offers athletic and casual shoes made from Merino wool for both men and women. Shoes are ordered online and shipped via special patent-pending packaging that uses 40% less material than traditional shoe boxes.
The company offers customers a 30-day trial period during which they can return shoes free of charge if they are not satisfied with the product.
Allbirds partners with Soles4Souls, a charitable organization, to donate returned pairs of shoes for people in need.
EVALUATION FRAMEWORK
Anomalie
Apparel and FootwearAnomalie will create a custom-order wedding dress based on designs and pinterest photos that you love. Rather than go to a dress shop or tailor, you can order and receive the custom dress from the comfort of your home.
Customers can expect the luxury of a custom-wedding dress, but at a fraction of the cost. Brides can order a dress to their specifications and pay a price equal to or lower than that of many designer off-the-rack dresses.
Anomalie offers a one-on-one customized design experience. Your Anomalie consultant will reach out throughout the process to get your design ideas, help with measurements, share fabric swatches and patterns, and locate a tailor for alterations.
Anomalie only partners with high quality factories from around the world, many of which work on dresses for name brand designers. All factories are vetted to ensure environmentally friendly practices and fair labor standards and conditions.
EVALUATION FRAMEWORK
BarkBox
OtherBarkBox sends themed dog toys and treats to your home every month, in lieu of your having to go to the pet store. Each box comes with two innovative toys and two bags of all-natural treats.
Similar to curated grocery or clothing boxes, BarkBox offers its products through a monthly subscription service. The company promises to bring your dog only the very best. If your pet responds poorly to any product in one of BarkBox's subscription boxes, the company will send a free replacement toy or treat.
BarkBox is differentiated by focusing on dog parents who are eager to continuously discover the newest toys and treats for their dogs.
EVALUATION FRAMEWORK
Beautycounter
BeautyBeautycounter creates beauty products using only safe and natural ingredients. More than 80% of Beautycounter's cosmetics are completely organic. When packaging and labeling its products, Beautycounter goes beyond the minimum legal labeling requirements, including ingredients of each individual flavor, fragrance, and preservative.
Beyond the use of safe and healthy ingredients, Beautycounter provides a long of list chemicals that it never uses in its products. Products are also never tested on animals. Finally, Beautycounter partners with health non-profits to reduce the risk of disease through exposure to toxic chemicals and to educate the public on what is in the products they use every day.
EVALUATION FRAMEWORK
Betabrand
Apparel and FootwearEach week, Betabrand introduces new items in limited quantities. Betabrand's unique clothing and accessory offerings are designed by customers themselves.
Customers who vote in the design idea phase receive a 30% discount on that product if it receives the traction necessary to enter crowdfunding.
Customers vote on the styles and designs they like. If the product receives enough user support, the clothing item will enter initial prototyping, with the original owners having the option to be as involved in the prototyping process as they desire.
Betabrand's operating model ensures that the company is not producing items that will not sell, as potential customers have already indicated their level of demand before the products are launched.
EVALUATION FRAMEWORK
Beyond Meat
Food and BeverageBeyond Meat makes 100% vegan plant-based burgers, for sale at your local grocery store. Its next wave of products includes a frozen vegan alternative to chicken strips.
Beyond Meat's burgers are offered at a premium price point, at $12 per pound compared to about $4 per pound for traditional ground beef.
These plant-based burgers are free of anti-biotics, hormones, and genetic modification. Beyond Meat is dedicated to reducing natural resource usage and greenhouse gas emissions while improving animal welfare and human health outcomes.
EVALUATION FRAMEWORK
Birchbox
BeautyRather than customers having to buy full-sized cosmetic products when they want to try new items, Birchbox delivers sample-sized beauty products. Customers can then purchase the full-sized version of the product if they enjoy the sample.
Birchbox operates under a subscription model, so a new box of trial products arrive on a customer's doorstep each month.
Each Birchbox is customized for the buyer, providing a curated selection of products based on a style and grooming quiz taken at sign-up. Starting with the second box, customers can choose one of the five samples that come in their monthly subscription.
EVALUATION FRAMEWORK
Blue Apron
Food and BeverageBlue Apron enables the delivery of fresh ingredients and individualized portions directly to customers' homes. These ingredients can be easily prepared into gourmet meals.
Blue Apron operates on a subscription model, delivering a box of ingredients directly to customers on a weekly basis. Blue Apron subscriptions offer a reasonable fixed price per meal rather than a customer having to go to the grocery store to buy individual ingredients, which often have to be purchased in bulk.
Through its proprietary technology, meals are prepared such that they minimize food waste. Furthermore, Blue Apron partners directly with farmers to offer fair trade certified, environmentally sustainable ingredients that promote healthy eating habits.
EVALUATION FRAMEWORK
Bombfell
Apparel and FootwearBombfell offers clothing items that are hand-picked by a stylist. Users have the ability to describe what they want and when they want the custom bundle of clothes to try on. Customers then have 7 days to try on the items and keep the ones they want while returning the rest, paying only for the items kept.
Bombfell customers take a personal style quiz that assesses fashion preferences and body geometry before they are assigned a personal stylist. Dedicated stylists carefully assemble each package of clothing items, which the customer is able to review before it is shipped.
EVALUATION FRAMEWORK
Brandless
OtherBrandless has positioned itself as a high-quality generic products company, packaging great products without the big brand label. Products can be purchased either individually or in curated easy-to-buy bundles.
When shopping with Brandless, customers can expect to pay a lower price by avoiding the price premium associated with national brands. Brandless also offers a fixed price for product categories. For example, all lotions are priced the same.
All products sold by Brandless are fair trade certified and ethically produced and manufactured. The company does not engage in any animal testing. Additionally, a meal is donated to Feeding America every time a customer buys with Brandless.
EVALUATION FRAMEWORK
Califia Farms
Food and BeverageCalifia Farms produces plant-based milk, creamers, cold brew coffees, juices and seasonal beverages using nuts, seeds, fruits, and roots. Califia Farms' refrigerated products can be delivered directly to customers' doors. Rather than using traditional Styrofoam and gel packs, Califia Farms opts for a cotton fiber alternative packaging that is 100% biodegradable.
Delivery is available for either an individual order or a monthly subscription basis.
All Califia Farms products, including its coffee offerings, are produced from non-genetically modified, sustainably grown plants. Califia Farms maintains direct relationships with vetted sustainable growers. Furthermore, farms that produce for Califia Farms upcycle used water to help conserve natural resources.
EVALUATION FRAMEWORK
Carlotz
OtherCarlotz offers sells used cars at 10-20% below car dealer prices by consigning inventory and connecting buyers with sellers rather than owning inventory outright.
From its databases, Carlotz provides sellers with real time pricing estimates and suggestions based on car make and model. Carlotz also provides buyers with a free used car report. Carlotz acts as an intermediary and takes a flat fee for every car that is bought and sold. Sales associates do not work for commission, thus aligning incentives and allowing customers to shop comfortably.
Through its consignment model, Carlotz enjoys lower overhead and inventory costs, as well as reduced risk of damage to physical inventory.
EVALUATION FRAMEWORK
Casper
HomeCasper sells its custom mattresses online and ships directly to the consumer. By rolling and vacuum-sealing its mattresses, Casper's mattresses are compact and easy to ship.
Because customers could not originally try Casper's mattress in a showroom unlike a traditional mattress-buying experience, Casper offers a 100 day mattress trial period. A customer who does not like the mattress can ship it back for free during the trial period.
Any Casper mattress that is returned during the 100 day trial period is donated to a local charity or homeless shelter.
Although originally an online-only company, Casper has partnered with Target to bring its mattresses to thousands of stores across the U.S.
EVALUATION FRAMEWORK
Chef's Plate
Food and BeverageChef's Plate delivers groceries and fresh ingredients along with recipes to cook delicious home-cooked meals. Ingredients are shipped in 100% recyclable packaging, including the cooling materials. Because boxes are refrigerated, customers do not have to be home when the package is delivered.
Chef's Plate offers fixed price meals through its subscription meal plan. Ingredients are delivered weekly.
Unlike some other meal delivery companies, Chef's Plate allows customers to choose which items are delivered each week. If no meals are specifically selected by the customer, Chef's Plate will select a curated box based on the specific customer's preferences and ordering patterns.
EVALUATION FRAMEWORK
Click & Grow
HomeClick & Grow offers a fully-integrated at-home smart growing system. It comes with NASA-inspired nutrient infused soil and can hold enough water to grow plants for a month with no maintenance. Click & Grow plants do not require any digging or planting as they come in nutrient-filled seed capsules that can be dropped straight into the smart garden.
The smart garden is sold at a premium price point, starting at $60 for a three plant garden plus the cost of seeds. Prices for a full wall garden run as high as over $1000.
Click & Grow offers a controlled growing environment with almost no plant maintenance. Smart gardens are perfect for growers in an urban environment or those without the time to tend to a traditional garden.
EVALUATION FRAMEWORK
Closet Collective
Apparel and FootwearCloset Collective is a subscription rental marketplace that allows women to rent clothing, shoes, and accessories from each other. Customers can rent a single piece or sign up for a membership. Closet Collective gives customers the flexibility to order several items and only pay to rent the ones that fit and suit their style or occasion. Customers can keep each piece for up to one month.
As a peer-to-peer rental service intermediary, Closet Collective enjoys low capital and inventory costs.
Compared to buying, Closet Collective offers designer clothing for rent at a deep discount.
EVALUATION FRAMEWORK
Cotopaxi
Apparel and FootwearCotopaxi makes outdoor clothing and apparel from premium and innovative fabrics, including the exclusive llama fiber used for insulation in its jackets.
Cotopaxi's website has a devoted travel blog where customers can interact and showcase its products. The site includes social media features as well as several destination guides. Furthermore, the company puts on a twenty-four hour race each year to showcase the spirit of adventure.
As an environmentally-friendly company that aims to produce efficiently and reduce waste, Cotopaxi makes some of its gear using leftover fabric from other products. Cotopaxi is a certified benefit corporation and donates 2% of all revenue toward alleviating poverty, reducing the spread of infectious diseases, and promoting education.
EVALUATION FRAMEWORK
DailyLook
Apparel and FootwearDailyLook delivers personally curated boxes of 7-12 pieces of apparel or accessories to customers to try on at home, rather than having to go to a store.
DailyLook's boxes are delivered as a part of a monthly subscription. Customers receive their bundles, try on the clothes at home, and only keep and pay for the pieces that they like.
When signing up for the subscription, customers take a 5 to 10 minute survey to indicate their style so they can get the best curated outfits. Customers can also share their social media profiles with DailyLook so the company can see which clothes they love and how they wear them.
With DailyLook, each customer is matched with a personal stylist to help curate their clothing bundles. Unlike some other services, a customer's stylist remains the same month-to-month throughout their subscription.
EVALUATION FRAMEWORK
Dia&Co
Apparel and FootwearDia&Co offers a subscription clothing service, sending a box of five pieces of apparel directly to customers each month.
Although Dia&Co charges a $20 styling fee, the fee is applied to the purchase of any clothing in the subscription box. Members try on the clothes at home and send back any they do not want to purchase. Customers who purchase all five pieces in the box receive a 25% discount.
Dia&Co differentiates itself from other subscription boxes by targeting plus-sized women. In fact, the company only sells clothes size 14 and up. Subscription boxes contain stylish items based on customers' style profiles and preferences.
EVALUATION FRAMEWORK
Diamond Foundry
OtherDiamond Foundry uses solar powered plasma reactors to grow real diamonds in a safe, lab-based setting. Diamonds are 99.99% rare, expert certified, and available as a loose gem or in jewelry.
Diamond Foundry can grow extremely rare stones and colored diamonds for a fraction of the cost of a natural equivalent.
A team of Stanford, Princeton, and MIT engineers developed the state-of-the-art foundry technology and plasma reactors used to produce the diamonds. Because the process extensively uses solar power, Diamond Foundry has zero carbon footprint. Each diamond is 100% traceable and ethically sourced, requiring dramatically less labor and fewer natural resources than a traditionally mined diamond.
EVALUATION FRAMEWORK
Dollar Shave Club
BeautyDollar Shave Club delivers high-quality razors and personal grooming products to customers' homes.
Dollar Shave Club was part of the group of companies that popularized the subscription movement, sending razor blades at flexible time intervals based on customers' needs. Much of the company's marketing was originally based on breaking the grip that legacy consumer goods companies had on the razor market. Dollar Shave Club was able to capitalize by offering quality razors at a lower price point.
EVALUATION FRAMEWORK
Edyn
HomeEdyn is pioneering the "smart garden," with solar-powered WiFi enabled products that track, store, and cross reference data, and ultimately provide guidance straight to one's phone via the Edyn app.
Edyn's product offerings include a sensor that connects with a smartphone app to provide real-time conditions on customers' gardens, along with a water valve that automatically provides the appropriate level of watering when needed. The company employs a data-driven and automated approach to home gardening and allows gardeners to easily check the status of their gardens from a smartphone.
EVALUATION FRAMEWORK
eero
HomeEero offers a multi-point WiFi mesh that provides strong wireless connectivity as an alternative to traditional single router solutions that statically and inefficiently distribute signal throughout a household.
Eero's fast, reliable WiFi comes with a premium price tag.
The company's products leverage machine learning that can recognize the layout of a home and optimize signal distribution accordingly. Furthermore, the company offers an app that allows the consumer to control various aspects of security, connectivity, and usage via smartphone.
EVALUATION FRAMEWORK
Eight
HomeEight ships high quality mattresses paired with a smart sensor cover that gathers data on quality of sleep and ambient room conditions.
Eight offers a 100-day trial option with free return shipping for its mattresses.
The Eight app delivers the data gathered directly to consumers via their smartphone, which they can use to make more informed decisions about their sleep habits and environment. The app offers daily sleep reports, optimal wake-up alarms synced to one's sleep cycle, and built-in IoT capabilities.
EVALUATION FRAMEWORK
Everlane
Apparel and FootwearEverlane transparently breaks down the cost of production for each apparel item it sells, then compares its own price to that of traditional retailers. For some items that are overproduced, consumers have a range of prices from which they can choose to pay.
Everlane has a strong focus on fair and ethical practices for its global clothing manufacturing factories, each of which are thoroughly profiled. The company also produces small batches of clothing, regularly iterating its designs based on customer feedback.
A lack of a brick-and-mortar presence is traded for a strong online presence via Everlane's website and social media outlets.
EVALUATION FRAMEWORK
Fabkids
Apparel and FootwearFabKids offers a $29.95 monthly subscription of children's clothing. FabKids members receive up to 40% off regular prices and access to exclusive products and sales. Personalized recommendations are sent to the customer's inbox each month, after which they can decide which items they like or whether they would prefer to skip for the month.
The online shopping experience begins with a style survey to gather information on each child's interests and fashion preferences. This data, combined with prior shopping picks, determines the monthly personalized clothing recommendations.
EVALUATION FRAMEWORK
Freshly
Food and BeverageFreshly enables at-home weekly delivery of fully prepared, healthy meals. Product offerings are rotated weekly, and meals are delivered fresh, rather than frozen.
Freshly offers a variety of subscription plans and meal choices. Subscription fees vary based on the number of meals ordered per week.
Freshly meals are sourced from direct partnerships with top chefs according to Freshly guidelines and standards.
EVALUATION FRAMEWORK
Function of Beauty
BeautyFunction of Beauty offers shampoo-and-conditioner kits that fit each individual user's needs. Each hair-care kit is fully personalized and includes the customer's name on the bottle.
Once a product set has been chosen, the consumer can purchase an 8-ounce shampoo and conditioner pair for $36, or a 16-ounce set for $46. Subscriptions are also available.
Function of Beauty emphasizes a bespoke product experience for each user, starting with an initial hair quiz. Shampoos and conditioners are customizable across formula, ingredients, color, bottle size, and aesthetics.
EVALUATION FRAMEWORK
GlassesUSA
OtherGlassesUSA offers frames for as low as $38, with many frames priced below $100, cheaper than its competitors. The company has a price-match guarantee and offers a 365-day warranty.
GlassesUSA offers augmented-reality software capability, allowing users to preview selected frames on accurate facial images. The company also features a virtual optician to help customers select the best frame based on several available assessments.
The company has a cutting-edge in-house optics lab staffed with a dedicated team that produces lenses of varying style and complexity.
EVALUATION FRAMEWORK
GOQii
HomeFor a subscription fee, GOQii offers a wearable fitness tracker along with regular personal coaching consultations and a doctor check-in every three months.
Customers can set goals and choose coaches based on their personal objectives. Advice can be related to fitness, nutrition, and healthy habits. GOQii stores medical data and documentation, along with data tracked from the wrist device, in a digital locker to aid in informed doctor check-ins.
Based on an individual's progress and performance, a digital currency can be acquired and used to donate to charitable organizations.
EVALUATION FRAMEWORK
grandPad
HomegrandPad is a tablet for the elderly that includes a tablet device along with a full software suite including custom tablet software, a companion app, and LTE connectivity.
grandPad offers monthly and annual subscription services that include all of the hardware, software, and product insurance necessary to fully utilize the product.
grandPad provides a live onboarding process for new devices with company representatives trained to work with the elderly, along with white-glove support during a user's subscription. Its user-friendly app suite is designed for use by the elderly.
The grandPad tablet can be accessed and updated by family members. A companion app allows friends and family to share pictures and videos, make video calls, and stay connected.
EVALUATION FRAMEWORK
Green Chef
Food and BeverageGreen Chef enables at-home delivery of fresh ingredients and individualized portions along with recipe guides.
The subscription service offers fixed pricing per meal per serving, which varies depending on the plan chosen and how many people will be eating each dinner.
Green Chef products are organic, sustainable, and non-GMO. Additionally, all of its packaging is recyclable or compostable.
EVALUATION FRAMEWORK
Greenlight Planet
HomeGreenlight Planet's Sun King product offerings include portable, low-cost, solar-powered LED lights, solar panels, and USB chargers. Product mixes vary slightly by geographic region.
In emerging markets, these solar lights can cost as little as $8, with financing options as low as $0.15 per day. Multi-unit lighting systems can offer near-grid reliability for around $50.
Greenlight Planet's products target people who live off the electric grid, particularly in many emerging economies.
Greenlight Planet's products are proven to be safer and cleaner than kerosene lamps and are also more environmentally friendly given their use of solar energy.
EVALUATION FRAMEWORK
GrubMarket Inc
Food and BeverageGrubMarket is an online platform that connects farmers and food producers directly to customers, shipping to most of the contiguous United States.
Pricing for goods is often lower than at traditional brick-and-mortar grocers, with up to a 50 percent discount on some goods. In addition to purchasing individual items, customers can opt for a produce subscription service.
The company makes it easy for smaller-scale producers to sell food on GrubMarket. Furthermore, the company offers recipes on their website, and allows users to choose its constituent ingredients to include in their shopping cart.
EVALUATION FRAMEWORK
Habit
Food and BeverageHabit offers personalized, chef-prepared meals based on an initial bio-diagnostic that customers take. Habit ships the meals directly to the end consumer's door using sustainable packaging.
Habit's initial diagnostic equipment and tests come with a premium price tag at $299, after which lunch and dinner options are priced at $13.50 per meal.
Habit's nutrition test kit measures each person's body against a number of different bio-metrics (such as DNA and body-mass index) to create a personalized nutrition plan, after which a customer can order fresh meals tailored to one's biological needs. Customers can also schedule one-on-one sessions with a Habit nutrition coach for an additional cost.
In an increasingly crowded food-delivery landscape, Habitat is differentiating itself through a scientific, data-driven approach to individually targeted dietary programs.
EVALUATION FRAMEWORK
Harry's
BeautyHarry's offers high-quality shaving products at a significant discount relative to incumbents and offers a two-week free trial before consumers need to begin the subscription service.
Harry's is committed to an ethical business practice, showcased through its commitment to donate one percent of sales to charity. All Harry's employees also donate one percent of their time.
EVALUATION FRAMEWORK
Hatch Baby
HomeHatch Baby's products include a smart diaper changing station with a built-in weighing scale and integrated growth tracking platform, along with a smart, app-programmed night light.
The smart changing pad is a premium product, pricedat $130 compared to $20 to $30 for conventional changing pads.
Hatch Baby automatically weighs the baby when changing, updates information in the app, and uses differences in weight to determine amount of food consumed during a feeding period. Furthermore, updates on information can be shared with partners and caregivers.
EVALUATION FRAMEWORK
Haute Hijab
Apparel and FootwearHaute Hijab offers many fashionable hijab designs that are rotated weekly along with complementary clothing offerings. Items ship for free in the U.S.
Haute Hijab caters to Muslim women and offers an online community, which includes a hijab style blog, a hijab-of-the-month customer story spotlight, and support for those struggling with wearing a hijab.
The company also prioritizes philanthropic efforts by partnering with local nonprofits to help women in need.
EVALUATION FRAMEWORK
Havenly
HomeHavenly offers online interior design advice through several package options. The free basic design option includes product recommendations and style advice by way of 30 minute chats. The more complete introductory suite of advice offerings begins at $79, with the full package set priced at $199 per room.
Havenly uses a free style quiz to determine a user's personal style and to match the user with a designer. With paid packages, Havenly facilitates one-on-one contact with a designer of choice, a curated buying process from a centralized site after finalized design, and a digital visualization of the room.
EVALUATION FRAMEWORK
Helix
OtherHelix offers at-home DNA sampling, which requires only a saliva sample for all necessary tests.
Helix charges a flat fee for the DNA sequencing itself, with additional fees for other various use cases of the DNA information.
Helix partners with other companies to provide the user with nutrition, fitness, and family planning counseling based on each individual's DNA composition.The company also has an app store that helps customers use their DNA information in unique ways, such as finding the optimal wine to suit one's taste buds.
Helix uses proprietary Exome+ technology to read every letter of protein coding genes rather than only primary strands, which unlocks up to 100 times more data compared to competitors.
EVALUATION FRAMEWORK
Helix Sleep
HomeHelix Sleep ships mattresses in a vacuum sealed package, free of charge.
Given that consumers' satisfaction with a mattress cannot be determined overnight, Helix Sleep offers a 100-day in-home trial period for their mattress products.
The company determines an individual's best mattress via a sleep preferences informational survey, which it uses to recommend the best products for each person.
Helix Sleep emphasizes philanthropy through its business practices. The company donates most lightly used mattresses to charities and housing facilities.
EVALUATION FRAMEWORK
HintMD
BeautyHintMD enables doctor-prescribed treatment plans, customized specifically for each individual's needs and budget. Associated professional products and refills are shipped directly to consumers' homes.
The entire program is offered through a monthly subscription fee based on the plans that each individual has with their doctor.
HintMD provides centralized doctor interactions with product purchasing and includes a membership experience that gives customers special promotions, offers, samples, access to parties, and more.
EVALUATION FRAMEWORK
HVMN
Food and BeverageHVMN sells nootropics, also known as cognitive enhancers. With the mindset that the human body is a tunable system that can be optimized, HVMN creates products that are designed to maintain and improve brain performance. In addition to its nootropics, HVMN also sells chewable coffee cubes.
Customers can opt to place a one-time order or subscribe monthly to receive a 10% discount.
The Biohacker Guide by HVMN offers further information on biohacking and human enhancement and features tips on improving cognition, diet, and exercise.
EVALUATION FRAMEWORK
Imperfect Produce
Food and BeverageImperfect Produce ships produce directly to consumers' doorsteps.
Shipment of groceries is executed through a subscription service, with prices for goods at between 30 percent to 50 percent less than traditional grocery store produce.
Customers choose the produce they want shipped in their box, from a variety of safe and healthy, albeit cosmetically deformed products.
Imperfect Produce facilitates resource conservation by saving foods that would otherwise be thrown away, expanding farmers' viable yields and reducing the need to fill food gaps created by disposal of cosmetically deformed foods.
EVALUATION FRAMEWORK
Innit
Food and BeverageInnit's product offerings include smart fridges and ovens featuring image-recognition capabilities that can recognize contents and deliver information and advice related to meal prep.
Early adopters can expect to pay a premium for the smart, integrated kitchen ecosystem.
Users have the option to select recipes they want to cook, and the system will order missing items. The app recommends food purchases based on available ingredients and desired recipes.
Innit is hoping to capture a large share of a small but rapidly growing smart kitchen market.
EVALUATION FRAMEWORK
ipsy
BeautyIpsy mails a monthly rotating product pack containing a combination of five sample and full-sized beauty products customized for each user.
Ipsy charges customers a fee of $10 per month for a subscription, while the products it sends are valued at more than $50.
The company offers an initial beauty quiz to determine the best products for the customer. Furthermore, its business approach relies heavily on the social experience, including video tutorials and blogs, to promote various brands and help inform customers' purchases.
EVALUATION FRAMEWORK
Just
Food and BeverageJust (formerly known as Hampton Creek) offers a small product line of progressive alternatives to common foods, such as egg-free mayonnaise and a variety of salad dressings.
Just relies on a scientific approach to creating its food products. The company invests heavily in research and development, with state-of-the-art labs and equipment, along with a research-focused staff to prototype samples. Just seeks to reshape the core ingredients of mass-market food products into healthier and more sustainable alternatives.
EVALUATION FRAMEWORK
JustFoodForDogs
OtherJustFoodForDogs creates meals with human-grade ingredients, frozen (not dry food), portioned, and packaged and delivered straight to the customer's home. The company offers recipes, DIY kits, treat recipes, supplements, and rotating monthly specials.
JustFoodForDogs offers recurring delivery programs for its products, in addition to the option to pick up at one of its kitchens.
The company eliminates the need for in-store shopping, works with boarded specialists in veterinary medicine to optimize dog diets, and offers cooking classes in its brick-and-mortar locations.
EVALUATION FRAMEWORK
Kindara
OtherKindara offers a well-designed, portable smart oral thermometer that takes readings and syncs to the Kindara app, providing trends on fertility and ovulation patterns.The app also offers recommendations and answers to common questions.
Kindara's oral thermometer uses a proprietary technology, resulting in an upscale price tag of $129.
Kindara's product provides fertility information in an easy-to-read manner, helping women prevent or achieve pregnancy through fertility awareness.
EVALUATION FRAMEWORK
LE TOTE
Apparel and FootwearLE TOTE operates through a monthly subscription model that sends customers bundles of apparel and accessories to try. Customers can either select their own set of clothes or let LE TOTE choose for them. The trial period allows customers to experiment with different fashions, return items free of charge, and keep the ones they like for a fee.
LE TOTE offers a style quiz that determines preferences and incorporates feedback in order to create personalized recommendations. Furthermore, the company uses feedback from customers to provide constructive input to clothing manufacturers.
EVALUATION FRAMEWORK
Leesa
HomeLeesa differentiates itself primarily through its product, which incorporates a three-layer design. The mattress is shipped in a vacuum sealed compact package to the customer's home.
Leesa offers a 100-day trial option, during which Leesa offers free return shipping if the consumer is not satisfied.
Leesa has invested heavily in philanthropic practices, donating one mattress for every 10 sold and working with the Arbor Day Foundation to plant one tree for every mattress sold.
The company has partnered with West Elm to offer potential buyers the opportunity to test Leesa's mattresses in many of West Elm's stores.
EVALUATION FRAMEWORK
Lufa Farms
Food and BeverageLufa Farms offers fresh, locally produced food delivered to a convenient pickup location. Lufa Farms also partners with producers of baked goods and pantry items to provide a diverse range of options that each consumer can choose from when creating a custom basket.
Lufa Farms provides these offerings through a weekly basket subscription, with a minimum basket order of $15.
Customers create the basket of products that they wish to receive, the contents of which are harvested that evening and available for pickup the next day.
Lufa Farms is pioneering rooftop agriculture, which conserves resources and improves sustainability in several ways, including irrigation recirculation, reduction in energy usage, and use of natural pesticides.
EVALUATION FRAMEWORK
Lumoid
HomeLumoid is an electronic-goods retailer that provides rental services for technology products with a simple, no-commitment return policy. Rentals are typically one week long and are shipped directly to the customer. Twenty percent of the rental cost becomes a credit that can be used to purchase the item if desired.
Lumoid has a partnership with Best Buy, through which Best Buy will feature the "try before you buy" option on its website and send interested customers to the Lumoid site to complete the rental.
EVALUATION FRAMEWORK
Mack Weldon
Apparel and FootwearMack Weldon is seeking to reinvent men's basics with products manufactured with innovative fabrics designed to prioritize fit and comfort.
Mack Weldon maintains a satisfaction guarantee, offering a refund or exchange if a customer is not satisfied with an item. Products are priced at a premium, but discounts are available based on dollar amount spent.
The company is committed to ethical manufacturing standards, adhering to Worldwide Responsible Accredited Production (WRAP) certified facilities that promote safe, lawful, and humane manufacturing practices. The company has partnered with Community Recycling to offer a recycling and reuse program that encourages and makes it easy for customers to recycle old underwear and basics.
EVALUATION FRAMEWORK
Madison Reed
BeautyMadison Reed offers a product that is higher quality than over-the-counter dye, yet accessible without having to visit a salon. Their line of hair dyes last weeks without fading, delivering a more natural look than has historically been achieved at home.
Customers can become Madison Reed members, receiving hair dye on a regular basis through automatic reordering. This provides a convenient way for customers to ensure they never run out of product when needed.
Madison Reed seeks to give customers a salon experience without leaving home. They provide access to professional colorists, as well as a quick hair-care questionnaire to customize the shopping experience and help customers select the best product for their needs.
Lastly, Madison Reed is focused on better, safer products. They have removed chemicals such as ammonia from their ingredient list without compromising performance. They also maintain transparent manufacturing processes throughout their supply chain.
EVALUATION FRAMEWORK
Mayvenn
BeautyMayvenn sells 100 percent virgin human hair for salon-grade styling, with a number of offerings such as Peruvian, Malaysian, Indian and Brazilian hair. Stylists who register with Mayvenn get their own webstore with Mayvenn's inventory, and the company manages shipping.
Stylists who sell Mayvenn's products receive a commission on each sale. Mayvenn's products include a 30-day satisfaction guarantee, allowing customers to exchange the product even after wearing, dyeing, or cutting it.
The products are primarily geared towards stylists who cater to African-American women, the largest consumers of hair extensions. Mayvenn offers an accompanying style blog with recommendations and lifestyle tips.
EVALUATION FRAMEWORK
Memphis Meats
Food and BeverageMemphis Meats is pioneering efficient lab-grown meat production processes that retain the flavor of traditional meat. Thus far, Memphis Meats foods, such as meatballs and chicken, have been well received.
Memphis Meats produces its meats by growing animal cells, rather than the animal itself. The removal of animals from the production process reduces greenhouse gas emissions and land and resource consumption. By changing the way that meat gets delivered to customers' plates, Memphis Meats is focused on creating products that are better for the environment.
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MeUndies
Apparel and FootwearMeUndies offers ultra-soft underwear made from naturally gentle, premium fiber for both men and women.
MeUndies sells its underwear products at a premium price point, while offering volume discounts for bulk purchases and subscribers. The company also offers to refund or exchange products within 90 days if a customer is not satisfied.
MeUndies sustainably sources its materials, thoroughly vets its factories, and incorporates fair-wage and quality environment practices. Furthermore, the company provides charitable donations to many nonprofit partners.
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MM.LaFleur
Apparel and FootwearMM.LaFleur offers custom boxes of four to six professional wardrobe items curated by a dedicated stylist andmailed to customers' homes.
MM.LaFleur allows customers to try on the different apparel items they receive, choose the ones they prefer, and return the rest with free shipping both ways. The service does not require a subscription.
Customers enter their information and preferences via a style profile tool that stylists will refer to when creating the customized boxes. MM.LaFleur further engages working women via a career-and-lifestyle blog featuring different stories and products along with pop-up locations in many major cities across the U.S.
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Munchery
Food and BeverageMunchery offers a large variety of locally sourced, organic pre-prepared meals delivered to the customer's door with refrigerated cooling packs. The company's meals are easy to prepare, requiring customers only to re-heat the dish.
Munchery offers customers a high level of flexibility with the option to subscribe to a membership or to order a la carte meals. Membership offerings come with discounted prices.
Munchery's meals are prepared by award-winning chefs and restauranteurs every morning in Munchery kitchens to ensure freshness. Munchery Giving is a philanthropic effort by the company to donate 1 percent of every eligible purchase to a charity of the customer's choice.
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NatureBox
Food and BeverageNatureBox sells more than 100 different NatureBox-brand snacks that feature simple, all-natural ingredients. Products are delivered to the customer's home or office and are available in bulk. The company also has corporate plans, offering snack delivery based on office size and preferences.
NatureBox offers a monthly membership that allows customers to purchase as many snacks as often as they would like. The company also offers a subscription service that allows customers to choose between five to 10 snacks delivered weekly, biweekly or monthly. NatureBox has a "Don't Like It, Don't Eat It" policy, offering store credit within 90 days of purchase for a product that a customer does not like.
The company is committed to using healthy ingredients. None of NatureBox's snacks use artificial ingredients, high fructose corn syrup, or hydrogenated oils. Furthermore, the boxes in which items are shipped are 100 percent recyclable.
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Nima
Food and BeverageNima offers a portable gluten tester with disposable test capsules for a quick and easy way to test for gluten in foods. The company also plans to offer a sensor to detect traces of peanut soon.
Nima has a subscription offering for its capsules that are used in conjunction with the testing device. Depending on the subscription, the capsules cost $5 to $6 per unit, putting this product in a premium bracket. The company offers a 30-day trial to help customers determine if the product is right for them.
Nima's products are tailored for individuals with gluten allergies or those who prefer to avoid gluten. The company also offers an app that lets users upload results from their device and share information on certain foods and restaurants, thus creating an online repository for other users to access.
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Oculus
HomeOculus produces and sells virtual reality headsets and hand-controller devices. Oculus also offers a line of headsets that can integrate with some Samsung smartphones.
Oculus is designed to turn a customer's PC into a VR console, allowing users to simply plug and play after purchasing and downloading games from the Oculus library.
Oculus' VR for Good initiative is a program that uses the Oculus technology to promote education and awareness of various nonprofits' stories through VR filmmaking.
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Ollie
OtherOllie produces dog food using human grade, nutritious ingredients, prepared and portioned according to the needs of the individual dog.
The company offers a subscription service and regularly delivers the precise amount of ready-to-serve food to customers' doors.
Ollie's products are tailored to each dog, taking into account the dog's weight, breed, age, and activity to formulate recipes and portions. Shopping with Ollie eliminates the need for users to go to grocery or pet stores to purchase dog food.
EVALUATION FRAMEWORK
Osmo
HomeOsmo offers a set of children's educational toys that use an iPad or iPhone as the primary interface for interaction but also incorporate physical game components. Osmo offers kits for individual families, as well as school classrooms.
Osmo has partnered with more than 22,000 schools, providing children and teachers grades K-6 the opportunity to learn and interact with the products in a collaborative, classroom environment.
EVALUATION FRAMEWORK
Owlet Baby Care
HomeOwlet Baby Care's primary offering is a smart sock with a sensor that takes readings of an infant's heart rate and oxygen levels. The sock notifies parents in real-time if anything appears to be wrong.
Owlet Baby Care's products are sold at a premium price point.
The smart sock sensor sends heart rate and oxygen level information in an easy-to-view manner to the base station, which in turn transmits information and status updates to the customer's phone via Wi-Fi. The company is developing an app that will allow parents to access their baby's health and sleep data and make decisions based on information and trends.
EVALUATION FRAMEWORK
Ozobot & Evollve
HomeOzobot & Evollve offers a small product portfolio of portable, miniature robots for kids that have many features including robot customizability, programmability, online web activities, and app connectivity.
The Ozobots are able to connect via Wi-Fi and Bluetooth to smartphones and can sync with other Ozobots to provide an interactive and connected way to play with friends.
EVALUATION FRAMEWORK
Peloton
HomePeloton offers a smart exercise bike that features a power meter and other data-tracking sensors along with connectivity to an online network of cyclists and training instructors.
Peloton's online content is accessed through a subscription service, which offers access to class live streams, performance and metrics tracking, and accounts for friends and family. The Peloton bike is a premium product priced at $1,995.
Through the built-in screen on the bike, customers can join on-demand, live studio-level cycling classes from home. They can also compare their performance statistics against peers during competitive rides and track performance via Peloton's partnership with Fitbit.
EVALUATION FRAMEWORK
Petnet
OtherPetnet's offerings include an automated pet feeder that portions food for meals based on pet characteristics such as weight, age, and activity level. The pet feeder can be controlled from a smartphone and also has Alexa and Nest camera-syncing capabilities. Petnet also offers a pet bowl with WiFi connectivity and a built-in scale that informs and updates customers on the right amount to feed their pet.
The company offers a food delivery subscription service based on information from the Petnet app, updating users with alerts when their supply of pet food is running low, as well as shipping and delivery statuses.
EVALUATION FRAMEWORK
PLAE
Apparel and FootwearPLAE's shoes are own-brand shoes designed exclusively for kids. Its shoes are highly flexible, washable, and breathable. PLAE has plans to expand its shoe offerings to adults as well.
The company offers its own virtual-design lab, allowing potential customers to design their own shoes.
PLAE's shoes are manufactured in a solar-powered, fair-labor factory using sustainable materials. Furthermore, PLAE's community program allows customers to donate a percentage of their purchase to a cause of their choosing.
EVALUATION FRAMEWORK
Pley
HomePley's products include a bundled box of toys and items that each have a theme or story to explore. Pley also offers a toy library that rents out items from an inventory of more than 500 educational toys.
Both the toy boxes and rental library are offered via subscription model, with individual purchases of toy boxes also available. For library rentals, the customer can purchase credits each month and redeem them for toys, which vary in rental price.
Children can rent toys from trusted brands such as LEGO, NERF, and American Girl. Themed toy boxes feature content from Disney and National Geographic.
Pley is registered as a benefit corporation and donates a Pleybox to an orphan for every member who joins Pley.
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Purple Carrot
Food and BeveragePurple Carrot delivers a bundled kit of pre-measured ingredients and recipe cards to the customer's home each week. Purple Carrot's kits are differentiated from other services as they include only plant-based ingredients. The company also offers a line of performance meals, which are higher in protein.
Purple Carrot offers a subscription service, shipping its products weekly. The subscription offerings vary based on the number of people the customer seeks to feed.
Purple Carrot delivers fresh, well-proportioned ingredients for all of its meal kits and has partnered with Tom Brady to offer its performance meals, which are catered to athletes.
By using only plant-based ingredients, Purple Carrot is committed to conserving water, preserving farmland, and reducing emissions.
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Renoviso
HomeRenoviso's construction and home-improvement services are guaranteed to be completed on time and within a pre-set budget, in contrast to many traditional contractors whose actual execution runs differently than planned, resulting in extra charges. The company's projects can be paid for through a transparent financing program.
Renoviso is taking home-improvement contracting online. Requests are made through the company's website, after which an experienced installer is dispatched to the customer's home to conduct an in-person assessment.
EVALUATION FRAMEWORK
Rent the Runway
Apparel and FootwearRent the Runway offers a $139 per month subscription service that allows customers to rent three pieces of designer clothing at a single time, cycling them out as desired. Alternatively, customers can choose to rent individual items for upcoming events as well. The cost of renting can be as low as 10 percent of the cost of buying the same items of clothing outright.
EVALUATION FRAMEWORK
Respect Your Universe, Inc
Apparel and FootwearRespect Your Universe provides workout and lifestyle apparel and accessories made from high-end materials that optimize weight, fit, and comfort.
The products come with a premium price tag ($180 for a backpack and $57 for a T-shirt). The company offers a flexible exchange policy for the first year after purchase, stating that if a customer's physique changes due to personal training, or if the gear is accidentally damaged or worn through, the item can be replaced for half the original price.
Customers who join as a Respect Your Universe member receive access to special programs, training tips, nutrition recipes, and promotions.
Respect Your Universe donates all returned gear to a local charitable organization.
EVALUATION FRAMEWORK
Rhythm Superfoods
Food and BeverageRhythm Superfoods products include kale chips, beet chips, and dried kale, made from a variety of healthy, organic ingredients and seasonings.
Rhythm Superfoods engages with customers through its online web presence, offering free recipes using its superfood ingredients such as kale. The company also publicly shares the music playlists of its Austin (Texas) headquarters.
Rhythm Superfoods partners with charitable organizations to promote healthy eating, music education, and entrepreneurship. All of the company's products are GMO-free, and most of its snacks are certified organic and vegan.
EVALUATION FRAMEWORK
Ring
HomeRing offers smart doorbells with high definition cameras that can send alerts and video directly to your smartphone.
The company offers a free plan that allows the user access to basic features. To activate the full features and cloud-based data storage, Ring offers a monthly service subscription.
Ring's smart doorbell allows you to view activity at your door from anywhere using your smartphone. You can receive text and video alerts and even converse with anyone at your door.
Ring has begun to work with at-risk neighborhoods, piloting a program to put a smart doorbell in 10 percent of neighborhood homes. In the pilot neighborhood, burglaries decreased by 55 percent in the first six months.
EVALUATION FRAMEWORK
Scentbird
BeautyScentbird mails a 30-day supply of a customer-chosen fragrance each month to the person's door.
Scentbird's subscription service allows people to choose from hundreds of designer and niche fragrances for $14.95 per month.
With Scentbird, customers can sample fragrances before committing to purchasing a full-size bottle. The company's website offers a recommendation tool that draws from a database of thousands of scent profiles and reviews, letting people gain a better understanding of their preferences. Recommendations for customers become more personalized the more they are involved in the perfume rating process.
EVALUATION FRAMEWORK
SCIO Diamond
OtherSCIO Diamond has a differentiated, patent-protected process for manufacturing diamonds for a variety of purposes, ranging from jewelry to industrial tooling. The company's diamond products can be grown to certain pre-defined specifications.
SCIO Diamond sells synthetic variants of very rare diamonds, such as pink diamonds, at a fraction of the cost of mined diamonds.
SCIO Diamond grows its diamonds in a highly controlled environment using a patented method involving technologically sophisticated processes and precise equipment. This production method reduces the high cost of traditionally mined diamonds, both in terms of its impact on the environment and on miners.
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Shipt
Food and BeverageShipt offers an at-home, same-day delivery service of groceries, which customers can order through the Shipt app or website.
Shipt provides these services via an annual subscription fee and offers potential customers the chance to try the service for two weeks before committing. After paying a flat annual fee, subscribers can enjoy an unlimited number of deliveries and free shipping on orders over $35.
Shipt enables users to order groceries from their phone or computer, eliminating the need to travel to the grocery store. A Shipt employee is then dispatched to shop and deliver the goods to the customer within the same day. The company has partnered with trusted grocers, such as Whole Foods, HEB, Meijer, and Costco.
EVALUATION FRAMEWORK
ShoeDazzle
Apparel and FootwearShoeDazzle offers its services through a monthly subscription model. Customers have the chance to join at a discounted rate for the first month.
Members create their style profile through a quiz that determines their unique footwear fashion preferences. This information is used to create a "pampered" experience, providing each member with a personalized virtual showroom of products to buy at up to 25 percent off retail. Customers can choose to purchase shoes without a membership, but members receive access to exclusive sales, previews, and events.
EVALUATION FRAMEWORK
Sphero
HomeSphero offers a number of small, unique robotic toy offerings that have a wide array of features including app-enabled programmability, autonomous behaviors and movement, and cross-robotic interaction.
Sphero's robots are programmed from customers' smartphones, allowing users a high level of remote control over their robots and the ability to play games. For instance, the Star Wars line of robots can communicate with each other. Some of the company's other offerings feature robots from the Cars and Spiderman franchises.
The company also has a line of educational products intended to teach children the basics of coding. Sphero is committed to ensuring that these products are available to children regardless of economic circumstance.To help educators seek funding for Sphero products, the company provides guidance on how to apply for grants supporting children's education.
EVALUATION FRAMEWORK
Stance
Apparel and FootwearStance offers socks and underwear for a variety of different lifestyles that feature a high-quality, soft, proprietary fabric.
Stance's products are in the premium segment of the undergarment market, with a pair of socks selling for roughly $20. There is a 365-day return policy.
The brand features designs by artists and graphic designers. Furthermore, Stance partners with many top athletes and musical artists, such as James Harden and Rihanna, who serve as its "Punks & Poets," the company's brand ambassadors.
EVALUATION FRAMEWORK
Stitch Fix
Apparel and FootwearStitch Fix offers a custom bundling of name brand clothes for men and women, mailed directly to the customer's home.
Stitch Fix provides its services through a subscription model. Customers receive clothes to try on and only keep the items they like. Stitch Fix charges an initial upfront styling fee, which can later be used as credit to purchase any products from the bundle, in addition to offering discount incentives, should the customer decide to buy the entire bundle.
The entire wardrobe customization experience begins with a personal-style quiz that determines each customer's budget, size, lifestyle, and fashion tastes, which are then used to create each person's unique bundle.
Stitch Fix focuses on philanthropic pursuits through donation of volunteer time and products to non-profit organizations, such as women's shelters and Dress for Success.
EVALUATION FRAMEWORK
The Flex Company
OtherThe Flex Company is offering a disposable tampon alternative ("FLEX") that focuses on increased comfort for women when they are menstruating and enables the user to engage in more comfortable period sex.
The company offers a trial service for its product in which it mails a three-month supply for a reduced rate. The customer can decide whether to continue the subscription on a quarterly basis for $45 per shipment. Compared to peer products, FLEX is considered a premium alternative.
FLEX is highly adaptable, allowing users a fuller range of physical movement and abilities. It provides leak-free protection for 12 hours and the opportunity for mess-free sexual intercourse. Finally, FLEX is made of medical-grade polymer blend that does not affect the body's pH level.
EVALUATION FRAMEWORK
The Honest Company
OtherThe Honest Company offers a large selection of own-brand organic or non-toxic household, bath, and baby products.
The Honest Company sells both standalone and bundled products. Customers can opt for a recurring subscription of its bundled offerings.
The majority of The Honest Company's products are made with environmental sustainability in mind. Furthermore, the company donates diapers, home goods, vitamins and other products to charitable organizations.
EVALUATION FRAMEWORK
ThirdLove
Apparel and FootwearThirdLove offers underwear and bras in a wide range of sizes for many different body types, offering half-cup measurements for its bras.
The company offers potential customers a 30-day free trial of its bras. ThirdLove's products are priced slightly upmarket, at around $68 for a single bra, with volume discounts depending on the number purchased.
Customers take a fit finder quiz that draw from ThirdLove's extensive library of bra shapes and styles to recommend the best option. ThirdLove features a "Give $15, Get $15" referral program, incentivizing customers to refer new friends and family to the company with a $15 credit towards their next purchase.
The company emphasizes its philanthropic contributions through donations of returned trial bras to local charities. Thus far, ThirdLove has donated over $1 million in bras.
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Thrive Market
Food and BeverageThrive Market sells organic brands at prices that are 25 percent to 50 percent lower than its competitors. Thrive Market offers a 30-day trial membership from the date of first purchase, after which a $59.95 annual subscription fee is required to continue using the service.
Thrive Market sells name-brand organic and non-GMO products on its website, delivering orders to customers' homes.
Thrive Market is dedicated to ensuring that those who cannot afford its annual membership can still receive healthy products at a discounted rate. For every member who joins, a portion of the subscription fee helps a less fortunate family receive access to Thrive Market.
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Tovala
Food and BeverageTovala's quick and healthy meal preparation system incorporates both a smart steam oven along with Tovala's own home-delivered meal packages.
Tovala offers a 180-day trial for the oven, during which the customer can return it for a full refund. The Tovala oven is a premium product priced at $400, and its subscription plans price meals at $12 per serving.
To cook the meals, users scan the barcode of the meal to the oven, which determines the fully automated sequence of steaming, baking and broiling based on the needs of the specific item. The oven then notifies one's phone when the meal is ready. The Tovala companion app enables users to control the oven and review additional recipes online. While the Tovala oven was designed to prepare Tovala-delivered meals, it can also cook any foods suitable for a conventional or toaster oven.
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True Drinks
Food and BeverageTrue Drinks' products include sugarless and calorie-free flavored water products in small, spherically shaped bottles for kids. True Drinks also offers an all-natural energy drink for adults. Its products are available at a number of grocery stores and online retailers.
The flavored Aqua Ball water products further appeal to kids by featuring designs with characters from the Disney and Marvel franchises.
The underlying mission of True Drinks is to deliver a healthy, tasty product that provides nutrition and helps to prevent childhood obesity.
EVALUATION FRAMEWORK
Trunk Club
Apparel and FootwearTrunk Club offers a "trunk" of clothes delivered to the consumer's home. Each trunk is customized by the customer in conjunction with his or her personal stylist. Trunk Club offers these services for both men and women.
The offerings are available through a subscription service with the flexibility to schedule the frequency of delivery. Each trunk includes six to 10 items that the customer can try on before deciding whether to buy. Trunk Club charges an upfront styling fee that can be credited towards the next piece of purchased clothing.
Each customer completes a style profile, which contains questions about fit, style, and budget before speaking with a stylist to customize each trunk. Following its acquisition by Nordstrom in 2014, Trunk Club offers free alterations for trunk items at any Nordstrom store.
EVALUATION FRAMEWORK
Try The World
Food and BeverageTry The World provides chef-curated, country-themed boxes of food, snacks, and drinks that rotate each month. Customers receive the boxes by mail at their homes.
Try The World operates through a subscription model in which customers receive discounts based on whether they pay on a monthly, quarterly, biannual, or annual basis.
Try The World collaborates with chefs to carefully craft the contents of each month's box. The company sources the components directly from each country, incorporating mainly traditional items from family-owned companies. Another service that Try The World offers is a monthly shipment of a box of five foods from around the world based on the results of a personal taste profile.
Try The World champions environmental sustainability, Fair Trade products, and healthy eating.
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Ubooly
HomeUbooly offers a windowed animal plush toy in two different sizes that physically pairs with either a smartphone or tablet to turn it into a stuffed animal that can interact with kids.
The Ubooly toy provides a fun and interactive experience for each child. Ubooly can be programmed to know the details of each user, including his or her name, age, and favorite color. Additionally, it can determine the activities each child likes and recommend content, as well as sync with other Ubooly toys.
EVALUATION FRAMEWORK
Union Station
Apparel and FootwearUnion Station (formerly known as Little Borrowed Dress) lets customers rent and buy custom bridesmaid dresses online, doing away with the need to go to a dress shop.
Union Station dress rentals start as low as $50, with the option of purchasing the dress for an additional sum.
The company sends a free backup size for bridesmaids in case the first does not fit well and will send a third size or different size via express mail for a flat fee of $25. Union Station seeks to achieve a hassle-free experience by helping brides centrally manage her wedding party via the company's platform.
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Urban Remedy
Food and BeverageUrban Remedy offers a wide selection of fresh, organic ready-made meals shipped to your door. Meals are sold individually or part of bundled meal plans. Urban Remedy features a variety of beverages including coffee, tea, cold-pressed juices, and meal-replacement drinks.
Urban Remedy sells an a-la-carte offering as well as a subscription plan. The subscription service provides discounts on kits and cleanse packs, giving people the flexibility to decide when and how frequently they receive orders.
The company sends customers healthy meals so they do not need to visit a store. Urban Remedy also offers specially directed juice-cleansing programs and lets customers shop by health need, such as inflammation relief or digestion ease.
Urban Remedy sustainably sources its products from local farmers and uses recyclable packaging. Its emphasis on plant-based products further reduces its environmental footprint.
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Viyet
HomeViyet's open marketplace allows users to put up for auction or sell their used luxury furniture goods. Viyet offers buyers access to exclusive brands priced 50 to 80 percent below retail prices for immediate delivery.
Viyet facilitates a fully customer-to-customer buying and selling experience, acting only as an intermediary.
Sellers consigning their goods for sale receive an in-person visit from a curator who photographs, measures, prices, and records the details of the piece. Viyet then determines the price range and approves the listing, with the customer having the ultimate say over whether to list the item at the determined price. If an item does not sell within a six-month timeframe, the customer has the option to reclaim the item or donate it to a charity of his or her choice.
EVALUATION FRAMEWORK
Warby Parker
OtherWarby Parker offers an at-home trial box through which customers can choose up to five frames from its website to try on at home. The company's glasses are sold at a significantly cheaper price point relative to peers such as Luxottica-owned brands.
Warby Parker offers a short quiz assessing style parameters such as frame material, shape, and size to determine which of their frames is best for each customer.
Through Warby Parker's "Buy a Pair, Give a Pair" program, the company makes a monthly donation to its nonprofit partners based on the number of glasses sold. The nonprofits also train men and women in developing countries to give basic eye exams and sell glasses to their communities at affordable prices.
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Wiivv
Apparel and FootwearWiivv offers custom shoe insoles and sandals made from high quality, eco-friendly, durable materials. Customers order online and receive the product at home.
Wiivv offers a 30-day, 100 percent satisfaction guarantee, allowing customers to return the product for a full refund. At $89 for a pair of full insoles, Wiivv's offerings are more expensive than off-the-shelf products but cheaper than traditional custom orthotics.
The Wiivv app lets customers place orders from their smartphone by submitting photos of their feet, which are assessed by both image recognition software as well as an expert eye. Each customer also has the ability to choose the colors and patterns of the item.
The company employs a mix of 3D printing techniques along with traditional labor to rapidly manufacture its products.
EVALUATION FRAMEWORK
Zepp
OtherZepp offers small, smart sensors that can attach to different pieces of sports equipment such as baseball bats, tennis rackets, and soccer cleats.
Zepp's products are geared towards serious athletes who are dedicated to improving their skill. Zepp sensors provide real-time analytics, feedback, and training plans to the user's smartphone. Some sports, such as baseball, also offer social game-mode features that allow users to challenge one another.
Zepp engages with charitable organizations, partnering with The First Tee to promote golf in low-income communities by offering its smart sensor technology to golf coaches and chapters across the country.
EVALUATION FRAMEWORK
