The technology enables users to transform a simple T-shirt into an awesome learning experience. It’s about interactivity in a fully animated 3D experience.
Check all the details here: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/curiscope/virtualitee?ref=category&ref=discovery
While I think this pitch is pretty poor in that it is two guys sitting in front of a camera on their couches in a living room, I actually really like this product. T-Shirts represent one of the highest margin products in history. They are super cheap to produce and everybody loves them, especially kids. While I see this a novelty product I think it could hit with kids and provide a good return, relatively quickly, which VCs love. I would like to know more about the app and how it works to engage and teach kids about the body. But even if it was a hit for a short period of time, that would allow for the possibility to gather data, refine the app and user experience and apply that in other areas. Because this really isn’t about the T-Shirt at all. Yes, I would invest, provided it was a small amount with a significant potential for return.
No I would not invest in this venture. This t-shirt is no more than a gimmick. For people that actually knows how AR work, you don’t really need to include the T-shirt. Yes they did mentioned that the app is free and is available on all mobile devices but the t-shirt is quite overpriced. At $29 per shirt on Amazon, I don’t think most kids would want one. Most of these generic event t-shirts are usually sold at less than $10 if not free. I don’t see how kids would be interested in wearing one of these while having their peers look. In fact, it could possibly work with any other normal t-shirt. The video in general is lacking a business aspect. They failed to include if there are competitions out there, how much they have sold already, if the market is international, and so much more details.
NO, I would not invest in this venture. PAIN POINT? The product has no clear pain point except to try and get students more engaged since they are already using mobile phones, but there are literally thousands of other ventures vying for this space. The other potential market gap they’re trying to address is what… “you need a new tee anyway”? Sorry, your T-shirt is ugly, expensive ($39 CAD), and most normal kids would probably feel dumb wearing it. I’m not convinced it’s worth it. SOLUTION? Even if I were to invest in this product, their solution is lacklustre. The T-shirt aspect is a simple gimmick for people who don’t understand how AR works; a black and white image printed on paper would be just as effective and perform equally well and I’d be (or parents would be) saving 40 dollars per child. In fact, printing the AR triggers onto paper and taping them to students’ existing t-shirts would probably go over just as well, or would probably even go over better than using the actual shirt because students would likely have a good laugh at it! DIFFERENTIATION? From where I’m standing this product lacks any discernible differentiation. I can’t see any teacher or parent buying it, except for the initial novelty factor, especially because alternatives abound - like paper. In fact, from an AR point of view this product seems woefully underpowered compared to the alternatives for teaching anatomy (which is the only AR application the pitch has touted). Hordes of fully-featured, continuously-supported AR and VR apps from larger teams already exist. Why choose this one? Because “we all need tees, right?” Again, sorry. I’m not swayed. MARKETING and CHAMPIONSHIP? I feel like perhaps I could have been swayed more positively if the champions of this venture were more likeable, but I didn’t “click” with the presenters nor their video editing. It seemed like this video was aimed at kids or at least K12 students, not the parents, adults, or other professionals who would be investing in the product. I mean, an immediate blooper at the beginning, and a whole blooper reel at the end? Give me a break; I enjoy YouTube/Twitch culture as much as the next guy but not when you’re trying to convince me to invest. Make a separate “Making Of” video if you’re that eager to show your human side. Finally, the video states that the app is free, but what about the hidden costs? T-shirt aside (40 dollars down the drain, remember), you need a phone/mobile to leverage their product. Not a huge deal, most people have one by now… but what about the children? If not, do you need a class set? Even so, half their pitch was promoting their app’s VR features. So now you need, at the very least, a cheap VR headset like Google Cardboard. That’s more cost there, from very little payoff. COMPETITION? If anything, students/parents/investors would get the headset and realize there are many more apps in the App/Play Store that are superior to the VirtualiTee app and migrate there. Unfortunately I just can’t see this venture working at all. The product is not strong enough; the market they’ve targeted is highly saturated; they’re banking on the T-shirt novelty to move their product; the inventors aren’t likeable enough nor do they seem competently experienced; their app is too basic and specific; and the novelty of the item will wear off after a lesson or two and all we have to show for it will be a silly T-shirt. NO, I would not invest in this venture. (I took a hard stance on this one, didn’t pull punches - channeling my inner “Dragon”!!!)
I agree with Katie that is an interesting concept, and I double down on what Ryan stated regarding that the technology they are trying to sell is extremely limited to a single lesson. To me, it is quite gimmicky and a novel idea to try once and see. The technology that recognizes the T-Shirt is in the app, the T-Shirt has nothing more of value than any other ordinary t-shirt. The T-Shirt costs $29.00 on Amazon and their website which I find overpriced as well. There are no other parts of the body that are covered and the shirt is the companies entire portfolio. This is where I think they missed the mark. Perhaps a full body design launched to anatomy and health learners would be more suitable, but they could deliver this solely in the app or a Website. The two co-founders promoting the product seem passionate, but they don't give me the impression that the experience they have with the shirt will now lead to further successes. I don't find the business path to success and I am left feeling like they are simply content with what they have done so far. The companies destination is understated and as an investor, their portfolio is simply too small. For me, the risk is too high.
I would not invest. It was an interesting idea but they really failed to convince me that this was a superior solution to any other form of interactive educational software. Everything about the video was pretty generic and uninspiring. They start the video with the question "what if tech could get us excited about learning". I think most people would quickly say yes we've seen technology used to make learning exciting before, so what? The pitch could have been improved by talking about how students are typically taught body systems in biology. They could have had a textbook diagram that's hard to understand. They could have had one of the mannequin dummies that have organs you can take out. From there they could have explained why there solution was better. The pitch would have been much better if they differentiated their solution from what already exists in the market. I am not even sure why the tshirt is needed. Why can't the app just use AR when it detects a body? There is a lot of competition out there and they probably do it better. I find the pair to be unlikeable. The last minute, about 25%, of the pitch was bloopers and outtakes. It felt really unprofessional and in need of an edit. Humour has a place in winning people over but there was nothing fun or humorous. The hint at the use of the application for different school subjects without providing even a hint of what that might look like. From what I could see the technology they are trying to sell is extremely limited to a single lesson in a high school biology class.
Although this is very interesting, I would not invest in the VirtualiTee as an EVA. The two men in this video did not address the market gap or competition at all. Their main message was that this VirtualiTee would make learning more interactive and engaging for learners. I believe this would be the case, however they did not address the full potential or effect this venture could have on learners. The video showed kids and adults having fun with the app, however it was the same thing they were looking at the whole video. With that being said, a question that came to mind for me is, "Can the VirtualiTee do anything else besides look at organs and cells"? This idea could have a lot more potential if it looked at more areas of the body including muscles, bones etc. They also addressed that they want to make this "accessible to everyone, everywhere so they get the chance to experience this type of learning". They then contradict themselves by saying the app is free, but the Tee is priced no higher than a high quality t-shirt. On a positive note, they do make the app accessible on all types of existing mobile devices including IoS, Mobile, Android and Tablet. I did appreciate the fact they elaborated on how people can help make this endeavour more successful by sharing the campaign and giving pledges. Other things they could have addressed on the video include: How many VirtualiTee's have they sold to date? What is the companies reach - In the UK only, worldwide...? Competition - Are there other companies doing something similar, or are they one of a kind? Expansion - Is there potential for the app to do more than it does currently?
