Diversity is a hallmark of Memphis’ population. And the city is known for its entrepreneurial nature. The inaugural class of Memphis Inno's Startups to Watch reflects that racial, gender, and business-focused diversity.
Since its fall 2021 launch, Memphis Inno — MBJ’s brand geared toward startups, technology, and innovation — has expanded its coverage of the local entrepreneurial ecosystem. The section highlights startups and founders who are breaking technological ground in their respective industries, with new ventures and innovative product offerings. Represented among Memphis Inno’s Startups to Watch in 2022 are entities with concerns as varied as medical technology, music and digital content, transportation, finance, and retail.
Some are early stage companies figuring out how to get off the ground, and others already have significant sources of funding and are looking to scale up. All are uniquely Memphis ventures.
Beauty By Me
Charles Brandon likes to compare Beauty By Me’s flagship device to a Keurig — only this product dispenses custom-colored nail polish. You can take a photo of your purse, shoes, any object you have in mind, send it to the device through Beauty By Me’s app, and watch as it creates a nail polish of that color within minutes. Essentially, nail polish colors can be mixed on demand. Last month, Beauty By Me raised more than $1 million from a variety of strategic partners in the cosmetic industry.
The company is starting with a B2B rollout, offering salons a professional version of the device. These are expected to hit the market before the end of January. The goal is to follow this with a consumer model of the product, which Brandon and cofounder Travis Floyd (pictured) expect to be affordable.
Before the consumer product hits the market, though, the company will launch another offering for personal use: a direct-to-consumer mobile site, which is expected to come by February. With it, people can take photos of what they want color-matched, and nail polish should arrive within three days.
