PocketLab Air

Yes, I would probably invest in PocketLab BUT and there is a but... Look they are doing a lot of things right. They are playing their chips on some hot topics at the moment which are citizen science and climate change. Issues that many care deeply about and are trending worldwide. The market is obviously there. The marketing is fantastic. I like the personal touch of the venture leader appealing to the public in the campaign as it creates an immediate connection to him and I can feel myself becoming as passionate as he is (the music might be helping to this effect). However, here are my concerns, the unit price ($298). Gut feeling is that there will be a surge in units bought and then a drop in sales as this is not an accessible price for everyone. At some point, competitors would have had enough time to build a similar device at a cheaper price point which would undercut PocketLab's product potentially. Secondly, I couldn't find any record on their website stating how accurate the results were from the various tests performed by the product. Normally, there should be some kind of standards body that approves the test/ instrument for accuracy of measurements. No scientific body is endorsing this product, why not? Could and should the product be calibrated? I have design questions in other words. This might not matter over a short period of time (think of how many fitness sensors on the market are known to grossly overestimate your activity and other measurements) but perhaps over a long term period issues could arise. If I were to invest though I would want a deal in which I can get a quick return on investment and then get out.

Yes, I would invest in this product. As an associate dean of a school of horticulture and environmental studies, this product aims to let everyone contribute their data to science, and the more data points researchers have, the better. Though not mentioned in the pitch/commercial, the PocketLab air provides an one-in-all replacement for the Vernier data logger, a handheld device about 1.5-2x the size of the PocketLab air that requires separate sensor attachments, that my faculty and students currently use in the field to collect data. To get the same readings out of the Vernier, the investment per unit is at least 4x the price, and all of the sensors cannot be attached at once, meaning more time is dedicated to collecting readings that could be better used analyzing the data. This data collection could be used locally, but the major sell for me is knowing anyone who purchases this product can contribute their data to research through using the app, if they so choose. This has huge marketing potential, as people strive to be more ecological and sustainable in their decisions and lifestyles and are passionate about to dedicating their time to become citizen scientists in other ways (using other data collection apps such as iNaturalist, eBird, etc.). The CEO is credible, although a bit cavalier, and the company has developed a product line, resources for educators and other users, and a track record of success.

Yes, I would certainly invest in this product. The pain point is exceptionally clear: address the climate change issue. This is undeniably a hot button issue in today's 'zeitgeist' and this product aims to provide a solution through science and education. It puts an innovative product in the hands of students, teachers, and the community at large to gather data useful to combatting the climate change issue. As a result, I believe this makes PocketLab an extremely marketable item to a plethora of industries and communities. People who adopt the 'green mentality', which is increasing yearly, will feel as if they are contributing to fighting climate change just with this product. Thus, there is a type of emotional connection here between product and buyer. This pitch differs from a standard commercial because it is aimed towards investors - The founder is seeking educational outreach and manufacturing. Moreover, the venture concept is original and the founder appears confident. He mixes both humour and gravity into his pitch and knows his product inside and out. My only critique of this pitch is it's length. As an EVA, I would certainly invest in this venture.

Like Jamie, Sarah, and Marc, I too find this a really innovative and worthwhile product. Living where I currently do, in a city that experiences extreme seasonal air pollution I am already extremely vigilant about checking monitoring stations and have a node in my apartment as well. The idea of being able to pool data on mass from contributing individuals has the potential to track trends and anticipate problems. As Jamie suggests, I would be more willing to invest in a technology that makes me feel like I am contributing to the greater good and making a difference. While this seems like something that could be added to existing mobile technology, the idea of putting this powerful yet simple tech device in the hands of 'citizen scientists' helps increase the appeal of an already very marketable item. The request for funding is quite clear and understandable - sign me up!

This is a fantastic product I would certainly invest in. The pitch clearly outlined the product and the functionality it has, as well as the problem it tries to solve. The company also has a strong track record of good innovation and venture success, so it feels like the risk vs reward equation in this product balances out. Furthermore, as someone who has done extensive work in conservation education, environmental research and citizen science problem solving, this product fills so many niches. So often researchers require more data but don't have the funds or the scope to implement data collection devices in far reaching areas and so often citizen scientists are eager to help but don't have the skills or knowledge to properly record or document data that the scientists require. With this product, you solve both those problems simultaneously. There is also a growing market for green technologies as the developing climate crisis becomes part of daily knowledge and this product therefore has great marketability as a social and environmental impact tool. Consumers will also be more willing to invest in tech that they feel is contributing to the greater good and allows them to make a difference. A great product, a great pitch and a much needed venture. I would definitely put my money into the Pocket Lab.

From the perspective of an eLearning director at a large research intensive university, yes, I would invest in this venture. Of all of the pitches that I have watched thus far, I believe this was the most cohesive and did the best job convincing me of the utility of this product. The pain point was clearly identified: the problem is that climate change is affecting literally everyone on the planet, yet the discussion regarding climate change has become mired in politics. The solution? Become a citizen scientist and collect data on air pollution and contribute to a larger scientific community. As a scientist, I really appreciated the collaborative nature of this project, and how the data will be opensource so that users can share the various data that they collect. In terms of differentiation, I am not aware of a product that does a similar job. However, I was impressed with the pitch and how it showed the relative ease of use of the PocketLab Air(e.g. when it was being attached to the bike). The championship of this venture is very clear and the competency of the leaders is very evident. I was convinced that the main leader is bright enough, has the experience, and is competent to really make the PocketLab Air a successful venture. I was convinced of this by the previous work that was shown on the other PocketLab products and how they are already being implemented in various educational institutions. To be quite honest, I may reach out to individuals in the faculty of Science to see if they have heard of PocketLab. Thanks for sharing such a cool pitch!

Yes, I would invest in this venture. PocketLab addresses the problem it hopes to solve, clearly and succinctly: people need to actively research climate change and pollution, but the tools needed to do that are very expensive. Although the PocketLab technology itself is very impressive, the true power of this venture is its Climate Education Initiative that provides the framework and technology necessary to crowdsource research that will contribute to a global body of open source data. There is a large global market for the technology, since a global market is addressed. The initiative also opens the door to other potential areas of research that can utilize sensors in a similar way. The founder’s funding request is quite straightforward in that he needs capital to increase educational outreach and help with the manufacturing process, both of which are necessary to help make the venture successful.