El Dorado Hills-based startup Neural Lab Inc. is vying for a $1 million investment from venture capitalist Tim Draper in the new season of the reality steaming show "Meet the Drapers."
Neural Lab’s software allows hand gestures to work as a mouse or controller for any device without touching buttons or a screen. The company developed its touchless technology for medical and surgical applications, where health care workers are wearing gloves but must also control technology or devices.
“Touch screens don’t work for people who wear gloves,” said Sherry Chang, Neural Lab's co-founder and CEO.
The technology also has applications for food service, bars, restaurants and retail.
The Neural Lab interface uses a camera to turn intricate hand movements into mouse controller movements. It is akin to the hand movements controlling computers in the Tom Cruise movie "Minority Report."
In the show “Meet the Drapers,” veteran venture investor Tim Draper, some of his family and a panel of guest judges vet a series of startup companies, with the winning company getting a $1 million investment from Draper at the end of the season.
Neural Lab filmed its episode for the fifth season earlier this year. The new season will go online on DraperTV.com next week.
A component of the show includes viewers voting for the startups, said Neural Lab co-founder and Chief Technology Officer Oliver Chen. “We’re hoping to get the support of people in the Sacramento region."
Neural Lab is in the current cohort of companies in Rocklin-based Growth Factory’s funded accelerator program. The Growth Factory makes early-stage and seed investments into companies ranging from $25,000 to $50,000, with additional money held in reserve for future investments.
Mark Haney, founder of the Growth Factory, has introduced Neural Lab to local companies where the technology will be piloted in the field, Chen said.
“That really is part of the backyard advantage that Mark talks about," Chen said. "It is providing value to startups and connections."
Neural Lab’s technology will be field tested by customers of Rocklin-based point-of-sale technology and analytics company Parse Pay Inc., Chen said.
Before the Growth Factory, Neural Lab made it to the final four in this year’s Sacramento Kings Capitalize contest for startup companies.
