For a handful of Triangle technology companies, this week’s Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas could mean revenue, notoriety and even big name partnerships.
This year, at least 12 Triangle firms are on the exhibitor list – and optimism is high.
For Hillsborough-based Forge Technologies, which makes its CES debut this year, the conference could be a game-changer, says John Joseph Andres, company president. Andres, who previously ran the fire divisions for United Technologies, used his personal savings to start the 12-person company four years ago on a bold mission: to save lives and push back against deadly house fires.
“96 percent of homes have smoke alarms, but we’re going to have over 3,000 deaths every year,” he said. “The question is, why is that, right?”
Andres said he decided to focus on flame detection as opposed to smoke detection, developing a device – with an initial production run of 2,000 units – that can detect a three-quarter inch flame 20 feet away “in seconds.”
“Think about a child’s bedroom … they should never see a flame,” he said, adding that the device could prevent deaths from electrical fires and even children playing with matches – as once a flame is detected, an alarm sounds and a push alert is sent to the customer’s phone.
“You can take immediate action to hopefully prevent a tragedy,” he said.
Andres has a bold vision for CES. First is the eyeballs he expects on his device.
“The Consumer Electronics Show – it’s the world’s largest forum for smart home,” he said. But Andres is also hoping to attract eyeballs from potential partners – such as home security companies.
“We could actually deliver them through the cloud the same notification that we deliver to you through your smart device,” Andres said.
Big CES expectations
For Dale Backus, CEO of Apex-based Ohsnap, it’s his firm’s second time at CES, which starts Thursday. The company made an appearance just months after it was founded in 2020. Backus, whose previous startup, Cary-based SmallHD, was acquired by Vitech Group in 2014, said trade shows are particularly important for early-stage firms.
“If you can drive the right people to your booth, it’s a really quick way to make lots of connections from all over the world,” he said. Ohsnap has developed a 2.5 millimeter alternative to a pop socket: a magnetic smartphone grip that doubles as a landscape stand.
The 12-person firm, which is mostly self-funded, recently raised $750,000 in seed capital and is ready for the CES spotlight, Backus said.
Other local companies are hoping for success stories in Vegas, from Raleigh-based sensor technology firm Valencell – which is becoming a CES mainstay, to Morrisville nanocoating firm HZO.
Big tech is also vying for CES returns. Lenovo, a Chinese electronics firm with a dual headquarters in Morrisville, will be there, as will Durham-based next-generation semiconductor firm Wolfspeed (NYSE: WOLF), which recently announced supplier deals with Jaguar and Mercedes Benz.
Swiss industrial giant ABB, which has its North American headquarters in Cary, plans to showcase E-mobility products.