Chicago-based tech startup Ganance wants to transform any watch into a smartwatch.
With a device that attaches to any standard watch, Ganance captures health and movement data by syncing with apps like Apple Health.
"I don't believe that choosing to track your health data should also be a fashion choice," CEO and co-founder Alex Ocampo told Chicago Inno.
By using a slim sensor that attaches to the underside of any watch with its microsuction technology, Ganance wants to ensure that its customers don't have to choose between looking good and feeling good.
It's a problem that's become personal for Ocampo.
"If you look good, you play good, and I think something as simple as a watch can give you that little dose of confidence," he said.
To celebrate his college graduation, Ocampo's brother gave him a shiny gold watch for his new job.
"This was when Fitbit and Apple Watches were slowly gaining traction, and what I noticed was I was wearing my watch less and less and my activity tracker more because I valued that data," he said.
When his brother was diagnosed with a brain tumor, the watch he gave Ocampo — the one that had been collecting dust for years — became that much more meaningful to him.
"That's when I first asked the question, 'Why can't I have both: my watch and the data?'" he said.
Summer goals
Ocampo plans to have a direct-to-consumer option when the product officially launches, and one of his goals moving forward will be to build partnership with established watch brands.
That's one reason why being selected to participate in Techstars' Sports Accelerator program, a 13-week mentorship-driven sports and health tech accelerator, is expected to provide a big boost to the young startup.
Now in its fifth year, the accelerator includes 13 companies that cover emerging categories in sports tech like streaming, NIL, AI, ticketing, wearables and more.
The 13-week mentorship-driven program will learn to scale the business, another goal of Ocampo's moving forward.
"Our goals for the summer are to grow our audience and get people excited for our public launch, and I think the Techstars network provides all those pieces plus investment," Ocampo said.
Ocampo said Ganance's first version will retail at $150. The company is currently accepting preorders and expects to ship out the first batch of product for its beta version in September.
"We're excited to start telling the world about what we've been building," he said. "It's always been a dream of mine to start a business in Chicago, so my headquarters will be here when it is time to branch out into an office."
