Two products developed by entrepreneurs with Greater Cincinnati ties made Time magazine’s list of the best inventions of 2023.
Mad Rabbit, an Ohio-based tattoo skincare brand launched by a pair of Miami University alumni; and Ryse, a Mason-based electric aircraft startup, both received nods.
Overall, Time recognized 200 inventions (and 50 special mentions) from around the globe in categories spanning artificial intelligence, green energy and sustainability as well as accessibility, fitness and health care. The magazine dropped this year's list Oct. 24
Mad Rabbit Tattoo was named a best invention in the beauty category for its tattoo repair patch, which the company just released in June.
The latex-free patch is designed for immediate application following a fresh tattoo, providing moisture, cooling and soothing benefits, pain relief and accelerating and aiding in the healing process, Mad Rabbit said. The repair patch is considered an alternative for the usual treatment of petroleum jelly, which can create scabs that might distort the ink.
“The launch of Tattoo Healing patch is a true milestone of innovation for Mad Rabbit,” Oliver Zak, co-founder and CEO of Mad Rabbit, said in a news release. “When we first started the brand, providing alternatives for tattoo healing was among our main goals. This product is truly the first of its kind and is poised to significantly change the tattoo healing process.”
Zak and Selom Agbitor first launched Mad Rabbit while students at Miami. The company has raised $12 million in venture funding to date, including a $10 million Series A in March. Its backed by billionaire Mark Cuban and Cincinnati-based H Venture Partners, among others.
Cuban first struck a deal with Mad Rabbit when Zak and Agnitor appeared the ABC show “Shark Tank” in 2019. Zak and Agbitor were also recently included on the Forbes 30 Under 30.
Ryse, meanwhile, was one of 11 inventions tagged by Time in the transportation category. The company’s flagship product, the Recon, was described by the magazine as a personal helicopter, part "human-sized drone" and part "motorcycle sidecar."
The Recon, an ultralight electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) vehicle, was first introduced in May 2022 and currently retails for $150,000 plus tax and delivery. The company is targeting the agriculture and recreational sectors, among other applications.
The aircraft has up to a 20- to 25-mile range with the ability to reach a top speed of 63 mph and is capable of taking off and landing on water.
It operates under Part 103 of Federal Aviation Administration regulations, meaning it can be flown without a full pilot's license. Ryse in August launched a $5 million crowdfunding campaign to ramp up manufacturing efforts.
Ryse’s leadership team includes CEO Mick Kowitz, who has 30 years of experience in software development and tech innovation.
He’s served as president and CEO of ClinMunications, an artificial intelligence communications provider serving hospitals, since November 2017. Prior, he was the chief technology officer and a director of ClinGenuity, a company that developed automation for clinical trial reporting.
Kurt Freyberger serves as the company’s chief financial officer and treasurer.
Freyberger most recently was CFO of Total Quality Logistics, a truck brokerage and the region’s largest private company. He left in January 2022.
Freyberger has also served as CFO for Cris Collinsworth’s Pro Football Focus, which specializes in football data compilation and analysis, and Cincinnati Bell.
To compile the list, Time solicits nominations from its editors and correspondents around the world. There's also an online application process.
Contenders are evaluated based on a number of key factors, including originality, efficacy, ambition and impact.
