TouchPoints, a wearable technology designed to change the body’s response to stress, is the latest Arrow Certified campaign on Indiegogo to receive flash funding from Arrow. Hear from members of the TouchPoints team about their design process and how winning $75,000 has benefitted their endeavors.
When Vicki Mayo, entrepreneur and co-founder of TouchPoints, didn’t know what to do about her four-year-old daughter’s horrible night terrors, she asked her close friend, neuropsychologist Dr. Amy Serin, for advice. Serin recommended that her daughter try a new technology she had developed to help her own patients manage their stress.
The results were striking.
“That night, during the middle of a particularly heinous night terror, I put what would later become Touchpoints into my daughter’s hand, and she went to sleep in thirty seconds,” recalled Mayo.
Realizing the vast number of people who could change their lives for the better with this technology, Mayo and Serin decided to work together on turning it into something everyday consumers could use – the result was TouchPoints. TouchPoints was founded in December 2015. The duo hired their first engineer in January 2016 and within 11 months launched their first product, TouchPoints Original™, which users controlled via an app. Soon after that, they began determining ways to turn TouchPoints into a device that anyone could use, wherever that happened to be.
Building a Community through Indiegogo
Mayo and Serin already had an idea of what they needed to change or include in their new device thanks to user feedback on TouchPoints Original.
“We actually created TouchPoints Basic in response to all the feedback that we got from moms about what they needed for their kids,” explained Mayo.
In response to those needs, they ideated TouchPoints Basic, a more durable version of the technology better suited to children that conveniently works without an app. It stimulates the user’s brain with a gentle vibration on either side of the body to help subdue anger or improve sleep and focus. Utilizing Bi-Lateral Alternating Stimulation Tactile (BLAST), TouchPoints modifies the body’s fight, flight or freeze response to help manage stress. In fact, users experience over a 70% reduction in stress in as few as 30 seconds.
Their team also decided to launch their new version of TouchPoints on Indiegogo for a new experience. “We loved the concept of crowdfunding because it builds a great community, Mayo says.
Through the program, the TouchPoints team was able to connect with a larger group of interested users and gain even more support for their product. “The team that I worked with was amazing,” said Mayo. “I can’t speak highly enough about Indiegogo, and I tell everybody about it.”
Perfecting TouchPoints with Arrow
By launching with Indiegogo, TouchPoints also had the opportunity to join the Arrow Certification Program, a move that comes with a number of benefits. Through the program, Arrow engineers verify the product’s design, vouching for its effectiveness and reliability. This stamp of approval assures backers they can trust in the device and expect it to perform as promised.
The TouchPoints team was also able to draw on the expertise of those engineers, who served as a valuable resource throughout design and production. At one point, the team was having trouble sourcing an important component for their design, and Arrow was able to help them identify an alternate supplier that would be able to meet their long-term components.
In addition, Arrow Certified campaigns benefit from a 10% discount on all the components they purchase through Arrow, a bonus the TouchPoints team really appreciates. “Any way we can keep our manufacturing costs down, we can pass that on to our clients, whether that be through discounts or adding a new feature,” explained Mayo.
Now, TouchPoints has won $75,000 in flash funding from Arrow, and Mayo and the rest of the team agree that the timing is perfect. TouchPoints intends to use the funds to strategically grow their team, as they have need for an individual with experience in mobile development; this new team member will ensure hardware and firmware components are working and advancing properly. “We had a critical hire we were holding on...we’re using the funding to bring that person onboard,” said Mayo.
Finally, Arrow is helping the team incorporate some forward thinking ideas to develop a new product, which should hit the market sometime next year. Throughout their entire process of creating TouchPoints Basic and optimizing it with users in mind, the team’s partnership with Arrow has been an incredibly helpful resource. Mayo, Serin and the team are looking forward to bringing on a new team member and going to market with the best version of their technology possible.
Are you interested in taking your new technology to market and qualifying for your share of $1 million in flash funding? Join the Arrow Certification Program and start working with Arrow engineers to refine your design.