Blue Bite

Blue Bite has created a patented software platform that helps brands incorporate interactive experiences into their products.

Companies can digitally link content channels to items such as soccer balls, shoes, and sweatshirts in order to more effectively engage customers.

With this platform, customers can unlock unique branded experiences, while companies can monitor a product’s success and analyze consumer trends.

Today, many content channels that brands use to reach customers are ineffective — for example:

Facebook user engagement with branded posts declined 20% in the first half of 2017, while the average price per ad increased 39% during that period…

Advertisements on websites suffer from low click-through rates…

And e-mail inboxes are often saturated, with the average user receiving more than 100 messages per day.

At the same time, distribution partners aren’t always transparent with brands regarding product success. Even when partners are transparent, companies have trouble predicting revenues without control over the marketing and sales process.

In addition, one of the largest issues impacting retail is the growing number of counterfeit and illegal products.

Blue Bite offers a solution to these problems with its “smart” product suite that makes it easy for brands to manage their items, and to connect them to digital experiences. Here’s how the platform works:

The concept of connecting a digital experience to a physical product relies on a technology known as Near Field Communication, or “NFC” for short. Essentially, NFC enables two electronic devices — one of which is often a portable device like a smartphone — to establish communication by bringing them near each other.

Blue Bite uses this technology to enable customers to use their smartphone to “establish communication” with branded physical items — for example:

A sports apparel company working with Blue Bite recently placed an NFC chip inside a soccer ball. By using Blue Bite’s mobile app, and tapping their smart phone against the ball, customers could unlock a unique consumer experience. This included access to future soccer matches, soccer-related videos and other viewable content, and the ability to purchase additional products made by that brand.

Along with experiences, customers can use Blue Bite's platform to verify that a product they are purchasing is authentic.

According to Blue Bite, this is the way in which brands will interact with consumers in the future. In fact, according to Markets and Markets, a research company, Near Field Communication is projected to become a $21 billion market by 2020.

While consumers use Blue Bite to access experiences and verify authenticity, brands can use the platform’s online dashboard to manage products.

In addition to creating digital content through the platform’s “experience studio,” brands can understand how their products are used even after being purchased. Companies can measure when and where individual products are interacted with, providing new customer insights that can result in more informed decisions.

Blue Bite offers monthly subscriptions to brands based on the number of objects the company plans to “connect.”

The Pro plan is $145 per month and enables companies to connect 1,000 objects and record up to 10,000 user actions…

The Business plan is $395 per month and enables 5,000 objects and 30,000 actions…

And the Enterprise plan is $695 per month and enables 10,000 objects and 100,000 actions.

Since launching its platform in late 2016, Blue Bite has achieved considerable progress:

The company has “connected” more than 7 million objects, and enabled connectivity for notable companies including Google, Samsung, Amazon, Ford, and Verizon…

Blue Bite has more than 20 customers, including apparel companies adidas, Bulgari, PINKO, and Spyder, and generated more than $1.1 million in revenue in 2017…

The company was awarded a patent on its platform’s ability to deliver dynamic content based on what are called “real-time conditions,” which Blue Bite says is a core component of NFC technology…

And the company has partnered with several NFC hardware and software providers, including Smatrac, Temera, and TexTrace.

Over the last few years, Blue Bite has focused on building its technology and securing intellectual property rights for its platform. In the process, the company has received more than $9 million in funding from investors.

Blue Bite is in the beta phase of its “V3” platform, and will invest funds from this round into its marketing budget, and towards the creation of a sales team.

Moving forward, the company believes it can enable nearly half a trillion objects each year, presenting a total market opportunity of $31 billion.

Team Background

Alexander Kim - Chief Partnerships Officer

Alexander brings more than 10 years of marketing and media experience to Blue Bite.

Prior to joining the company, he was a strategist and planner for Posterscope, a marketing company focused on serving brands.

For seven years, he worked in the marketing department for Dylated, an apparel company.

He previously served as an account executive for Kinetic Worldwide, a media company geared toward using real-time feedback to interact with customers.

Alexander earned a Bachelor’s degree in Communication and a Master’s degree in Informatics from the University of Buffalo.

Mikhail Damiani - Co-Founder & CEO

Prior to starting Blue Bite, Mikhail worked as an analyst for GCA Savvian, a global investment bank, where he focused on technology-related M&A transactions.

In addition, he was an asset manager for Laidlaw & Company, a New York-based brokerage firm.

Mikhail earned a Bachelor’s degree in Finance and Management from NYU.

Tom Duncan - Co-Founder & President

Tom is responsible for programming and deploying Blue Bite’s patented technology.

He earned a Bachelor’s degree in Finance and Management from NYU.

Co-Investors