On Wednesday, Indiegogo announced it, alongside its partner Arrow, offered $100,000 to calorie tracking device, Smart Plate. According to the global crowdfunding platform, the plate notably identifies any foods that the user eats and analyzes its calories.
Speaking about the backstory of Smart Plate, CEO Anthony Ortiz, stated:
“The first book I read about fitness, believe it or not, was Fitness for Dummies. It said that 60-80% of your health is what you’re eating. It’s the most important thing you can focus on. If you don’t do anything else, eat right. Everything else falls into place. We scrapped the food service idea because we wanted to get closer to where we can make the greatest impact. That’s how Smart Plate was born.”
Indiegogo reported that by using Smart Plate’s portable plate and app, users may accurately analyze and log what they are eating in seconds with Food Recognition Technology. Its AI tracks the calories, carbs, fat, fiber, sugar and sodium in your entire meal. All they have to do is take a photo of it. Ortiz also revealed:
“We had a lot of backers respond and say, ‘My mom, my dad, my little niece is a Type 1 diabetic. So many people struggle with diseases like obesity, heart disease or diabetes that can be treated with better food habits. It just resonates. We always tell our story at the beginning of every pitch. It’s so important because that’s when people identify with our mission.”
In regards to where the $100,000 investment is going, Ortiz added:
“It’s all going right back into the business. We’re using the money for Android and iOS development. Our operating expenses are $15k a month. This is fantastic because it buys us an additional 5-6 months of runway. It’s exactly what we need to get to market. And the timing is perfect because we’ll have the device shipped by then.”
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