It's that time of year again – a time for trying and reviewing, for testing and reporting, the best start-ups I've personally used in the past quarter. For my part, I'm trying at least one new platform, app, or SaaS application each week. I find most new technologies to be not only wildly unfaithful to their public relations claims, but unsatisfying even on their own terms.
But occasionally I come across start-ups and young companies that have shown us real, tangible value. Companies that have undergone a series of tests which pass our filters. We then like to reflect on the results, and report them here – to you.
Here are 5 that you'll want to know about:
Ripples: Personalized Coffee
At first glance, Ripples is a clever way to quickly personalize any foam based coffee drink with a message, design or both. The Ripple Maker is a counter sized device that connects to WiFi and can take designs and using a 3D technology, print them right onto the surface of the milk foam. If that were all Ripples was designed to do, it would be a must have product – but of course there's more.
Currently, Ripple is only releasing a $999 commercial version of the product. That means you'll only see it in coffee shops, airline clubs or other high occupancy venues. Baristas can choose their Ripples from the extensive catalogue of designs and messages, or have their customers send a photo, personal image or message and send it to their Ripple Maker through the Ripple app. The image is printed on the coffee in less than 10 seconds, using nothing but 100% natural coffee extract.
For me, Ripple is a marketer's dream. Imagine having the ability to personalize messages each morning on a beverage that people are addicted (well me anyway). These drip coffee marketing campaigns could be run to great effect with the right creative team. I imagine Starbucks Starbucks creating a variety of images and messages to share on their customers' lattes that cause them to snap a photo of it and share on social media or calls to action that get people to act.
