Trying to shop local this holiday season? The Atlanta technology ecosystem has no shortage of interesting gift ideas for your friends and family.
From innovative fashion wear to subscription compost, these Atlanta startup products may help you with your holiday shopping.
For the young reader:
Everybody Eats by Jasmine Crowe
Jasmine Crowe, CEO of food recovery startup Goodr, wrote her first book, “Everybody Eats,” to inspire children to fight against hunger. Crowe, one of Atlanta Business Chronicle’s 2019 40 Under 40 honorees, founded Goodr in 2017 to combat hunger while eliminating food waste by using logistics technology.
Price: $9 to $18
For the forgetful friend:
Atlanta startup Medsur Inc.’s BCase is a subtle birth control case and wallet that attaches to the back of phone cases to help women remember their birth control pills. Founder and Georgia Tech student Sammie Hasen created the case through a Kickstarter campaign earlier this year.
Price: $20
For the working athlete:
Atlanta fashion startup DASDUO created a line of business casual wear that doubles as workout clothes. Founded by Georgia Tech student Sarah Hamer, the fashion line stems from her trouble finding time to change between the office and the gym.
Price: $68
For the avid coffee drinker:
PHam Products LLC created “The Better Coffee Filter” products to reduce the acidity in your morning cup of coffee. The filters could help reduce heartburn, acid reflux or enamel erosion caused by coffee’s acidity. The founders won the People’s Choice Award in Georgia Tech’s 2018 InVenture Prize.
Price: $5 to $30
For the DIY mechanic:
The Fixd Sensor by Atlanta startup Fixd Automotive plugs into cars to diagnose electrical problems, similar to what car mechanics or dealerships do. That information goes to the Fixd app, which tells the driver what the problem is and makes suggestions on where to go to get it fixed. Georgia Tech graduates founded the bootstrapped startup.
Price: $59
For the curious kid:
Atlanta startup Brown Toy Box, founded by Terri-Nichelle Bradley, produces toys and games that help children learn science, technology, engineering, art and math subjects. The Brown Toy Box features the Dadisi Crew kids, all of whom are Black and brown children successful in STEAM industries. Bradley hopes to show children positive representations of Black excellence to inspire them in various career paths.
Price: $29.99
For the fitness New Year’s Resolution:
Online strength training fitness startup Vivo gears its classes to older adults aiming to prevent or treat health problems with movement. The Atlanta Tech Village startup contracts trainers to run the courses, which are live-streamed and small to create personal connections with participants. Each class is about 45 minutes. Vivo CEO Eric Levitan used the classes to exercise with his father during the pandemic.
Price: $99 to $199 per month
For the sustainably minded:
CompostNow picks up food scraps and drops off usable compost to homes and offices. Headquartered in Raleigh, North Carolina, the startup’s services now include Atlanta. The subscription delivery service works like trash or recycling pick up, and its membership dashboard tracks the amount of waste you’ve diverted from landfills.
Price: $29 to $35 per month
For your curly-haired friend:
Marietta-based PuffCuff LLC produces round hair clips that aim to provide damage-free styling for those with thick, curly or textured hair. Ceata Lash founded the company in 2013 and moved it to Georgia in 2014. PuffCuff products are on Amazon, Walmart.com, Sally Beauty Supply LLC and other independent retailers.
Price: $17.99
For the stir-crazy professional:
Local coworking company Firmspace provides professionals with private offices, conference rooms and desks to work. Firmspace hopes to provide privacy and comfort to professionals. Its Atlanta location is in Tower Place in Buckhead.
Price: $69 for a day pass
For the music lover:
KNZ GoDuo Magnetic Wireless Speakers
Consumer electronic manufacturer KNZ Technology is based in the Atlanta Tech Village. The manufacturer produces high-quality speakers and headphones with industrial designs.
Price: $64.99 to $89.99
For the home-schooling parent:
Parents can subscribe to Sparketh, an Atlanta startup that provides thousands of art lessons for children 18 and under. The courses include subjects like realism portraits or fluid painting and are taught by college students and professionals. Sparketh was featured on ABC’s “Shark Tank” last month.
Price: $25 per month
For next Christmas:
The Delta Jacket is a versatile outer garment that aims to keep people cool in the summer and warm in the winter. The jacket is waterproof, wind-resistant, reversible and portable. Founder Aya Ayoubi won first place for the design in Georgia Tech’s 13-annual InVenture Prize competition. For every jacket she sells, Ayoubi plans to donate one to a person in need through partnerships with nonprofits. The jacket is currently in beta testing.
