Can software solve the world's problems?
Innovation Work's latest class of
Alpha Lab startups gets the ball rolling with new ideas for everything from
do-it-yourself interior design apps to helping amateur photographers take better pictures and consumers find a shoe that fits online.
Take a look at what's on tap:
80 Degrees West Interior Design, Inc. offers an online platform for sophisticated,
do-it-yourself decorators to receive custom schematic design solutions and project guidance from professional interior designers. Customers retain control of their project and budget, bringing peace-of-mind to the design process.
DeviceKnit's web-based service hopes to show customers how their home electronics can work together through a database of device interfaces and connection logic, helping users to perform feats like connecting a TV to a laptop or deciding what's usable and what can be taken to the recycler.
"It's basically a new concept, building an inventory of different electronics a user has," explains John Ganotis who's working with Jordan Messina, both from Syracuse. "Our system knows what laptop you have and how to connect it to your TV. It will work across a wide range of devices."
LamaLab is developing a cloud-based business intelligence platform to help e-commerce retailers with the management and growth of their day-to-day operations.
PhotoSynesi is developing a website to connect aspiring photographers to professionals, providing amateurs with rich, individualized and critical insight that can help them improve their work.
And finally,
Shoefitr is designing applications that will help online shoe shoppers find a shoe that fits perfectly, increasing consumer confidence in online shoe ordering and reducing the return rate.
"We did some of our own research and found that 75% of people don't order shoes online because they're worried about getting the wrong size," says Nick End, one of three Carnegie Mellon students working on Shoefitr. "It's a huge deterrent and something we hope we can improve upon."
Writer:
Deb SmitSource: Terri Glueck, Innovation Works, John Ganotis, DeviceKnit and Nick End, Shoefitr
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