6 SOSV startups in TIME Magazine’s ‘Best Inventions of 2021’
Each year, TIME Magazine selects inventions for their originality, creativity, efficacy, ambition, and impact. Startups from the SOSV programs HAX (hard tech) and IndieBio (biology) have made the list regularly.
This year, we have an unprecedented 6 companies listed:
- Nuratrue (earbuds with personalized sound, HAX).
- Unspun (custom-fit denims — second time on the list!, HAX).
- Huue (sustainable indigo dyes, IndieBio).
Special Mentions:
- Looking Glass Portrait (a 3D display for your desk, HAX).
- Moona (a pillow-cooling device to aid sleep, HAX).
- Upside chicken (cell-cultured chicken, IndieBio).
A few interesting changes in the list is the continuous evolution of categories, the growing presence of startups, of sustainable solutions of all kinds, and the emergence of biotech.
What Have They Become?
The list celebrates innovation, but companies don’t always succeed. A strong reminder of that is Jibo, the social robot who graced the TIME cover in 2017 (the Nest thermostat and fidget spinners were also on the list).
Let’s look at what happened to SOSV startups selected in previous years:
- Perfect Day (milk protein, IndieBio) raised $350M in September 2021 and brought their cow-free ice cream to market.
- Cradlewise (smart baby crib, HAX) raised $7M in November 2021.
- Catalog Technologies (data storage using DNA, IndieBio) raised $35M in September 2021.
- Unspun (custom denims, HAX) raised $7.5M in September 2021.
- Light (simple phone, HAX / Brooklyn, NY) is still operating.
- Lynq (compass that points to people, HAX) raised $6M in 2020.
- HabitAware (bracelets that break compulsive behaviors, HAX) received a $1M grant from the NSF in 2020.
- Lumos (smart bike helmet, HAX) is still operating.
Looking forward to 2022 and beyond!
