Fashion-focused tech startup Bright Wearables seeks to eliminate business cards with first place win at New Venture Challenge 11 Creative Industries Track Finals

There's a bright future ahead for this fashion-forward startup. We're excited to announce Bright Wearables as our third New Venture Challenge 11 Championships finalist! 

With CEO and Leeds School of Business MBA candidate Robert Brazell at the helm, the 7-person company brings both style and communication together in order to eliminate the need for business cards. Their micro-chip embedded fashion accessories allows contact information to be passed to smartphones with just a tap of the phone. 

"After getting fed up with the shortcuts people take to exchange contact info, I thought 'there has got to be a better way.' So I decided to make it," Brazell said. "Though I’m a business student, I took all my electives with the College of Media, Communication and Information. The instructors at the CMCI Studio helped me to design, prototype, and ultimately launch the product. I couldn’t have done it with out them." 

Competing against four teams in the NVC 11 Creative Industries Track Finals competition (hosted jointly by the College of Music and College of Media, Communication and Information), Bright Wearables took home the first place prize and $3,000 after pitching their business idea to a panel of judges and a live audience.

The other Creative Industries Track Finalists of the night included:​

• 2nd place ($2,000 awarded to each team)
  • Gaia Glam – biodegradable and affordable glitter for the eco-conscious lover of sparkle and fashion
  • Speak – empowering women by teaching them how to use their voices in a variety of social and corporate settings through physical exercises, role playing, and performance
  • Operation Cadence – mobile app that delivers original compositions designed to produce a healthy running cadence, reducing injuries while supporting the creation of new music
• 3rd place: Occassional Muse ($1,000) – platform designed to streamline the commissioning of original works of music for special events like weddings, anniversaries, and other celebrations

Bright Wearables will be one of five teams competing in the NVC 11 Championships on Wednesday, April 3 at the Boulder Theater.

"We are excited to bring our product to market and begin creating new types of solutions," Brazell said. "At our core, we are problem solvers working to make the world a better place – for both people and the planet. 

Stay tuned in the coming days as we announce the rest of the Track finalists!

Register Now for the NVC 11 Championships!