FLUUX

Smartphone Case that Reduces Vaping

Company Information

Website:

https://www.fluux.com/

Sector:

Cell Phones

Location:

Palo Alto, CA

FLUUX has created a smartphone accessory that empowers users to quit vaping.

Vaping is a term that refers to using an electronic cigarette. These devices are handheld battery-powered vaporizers.

According to 2018 data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, one-fifth of American adults use some form of tobacco.

Yet while cigarette use is on the decline, reaching record lows in the U.S., e-cigarette use is on the rise. In a July 2018 Gallup poll, nearly 10% of U.S. adults said they “regularly or occasionally” vape.

Despite its popularity, many users realize the dangers and health risks of vaping. According to the same poll, roughly 20% of U.S. adults under the age of 30 said vaping is “very harmful” to one’s health. The reason people have trouble quitting is, like cigarettes, vaping is addictive.

FLUUX has created a potential solution to help people quit. Its solution leverages analytics, technology, and medical expertise.

FLUUX is led by three serial entrepreneurs who have a total of four successful “exits” from prior startups. Its team of advisors include Deb Messina-Kleinman, author of The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Quitting Smoking.

The company is targeting the global nicotine de-addiction products market. In 2018, this market surpassed $14 billion, and is projected to reach $39 billion by 2023.

At the same time, the company is targeting the $60 billion mobile phone accessory market.

To create an effective solution, the company knew it needed something that could give vaping users the resources to quit, without taking a combative approach. This was the inspiration for its smartphone case, which the company calls its “trojan horse.”

The case solves two major issues most vape users experience:

1. Vaporizers are often misplaced.
2. They quickly run out of battery power.

FLUUX’s smartphone battery case has a location to both store and charge a JUUL vaping device safely and discreetly. (More devices will be compatible soon.)

When they pair the case with the FLUUX mobile app, users can track their vaping usage. They can also sign up for automatic shipment of additional vape “pods” (these hold the liquid which is vaporized), set usage reduction goals, and get support from medical professionals.

Last year, FLUUX completed the Plug and Play Vape Tech Accelerator. This resulted in a paid pilot program with Japanese Tobacco International to create a case for the company’s vaporizer.

FLUUX retails its cases for $79.99. It costs the company around $26 to make, pack, and ship each one. The company also earns 20% commission from users who order additional vape pods through the app.

With respect to future revenue streams, FLUUX aims to create an enterprise data product.

Right now, it collects data such as how often users vape, what vape flavors they prefer, and how much they spend on vaping each month.

Once it’s collected enough data, FLUUX plans to package this information and sell it to insurance companies, advertisers, and health researchers.

Team Background

Colin Barceloux - Co-Founder & CMO

Colin is a serial entrepreneur with two successful exits.

He founded BookRunner, an online marketplace for textbooks which was acquired by Chegg (NYSE: CHGG). He also led Axius, creators of a smart-home network monitoring platform, to an acquisition by Domotz, an Internet of Things company.

Earlier in his career, he was a mentor at 500 Startups and StartX, which are accelerators for early-stage companies.

Colin earned a Bachelor’s degree from Santa Clara University and an MBA from Stanford.

Chadwick Manning - Co-Founder & CEO

Prior to starting FLUUX, Chadwick co-founded Electriq Power, an energy storage and management solutions company. He served as the company’s CEO for four years, and helped close a deal with Panasonic to white-label its residential energy storage product.

Before that, he was an associate with PricewaterhouseCoopers, a professional services firm.

He earned a Bachelor’s degree and Master’s degree in Accounting from the University of San Diego.

Ravi Kurani - Chief Product Officer

Ravi is a Forbes “30 Under 30” and a serial entrepreneur.

Most recently, he founded and sold Sutro, a company that created a “smart” sensor for testing water quality.

Previously, he was a product lead for the Founders Network, a collection of more than 600 startup founders. Membership locations include San Francisco, New York, and Toronto.

Ravi has experience in venture capital investing, having worked as a principal for Shenzhen Valley Ventures and an analyst at Hub Ventures.

He earned a Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering from the University of California, Riverside and an MBA.

Himanshu Shah - Co-Founder & CTO

Himanshu founded Aethon Labs, a company creating products for the Internet of Things industry.

Prior to that, he worked for Apple (Nasdaq: AAPL) as a software security engineer, where he developed critical cryptography services for mobile platforms. He also held a leadership role in the development of the company’s FaceID project.

Himanshu earned a Master’s degree in Computer Science from Stony Brook University.

Co-Investors

Raising
$750K
Committed
$76K (10%)
Current Valuation
$2 million Cap / 0% Discount
Min. Investment
$1000
Deal Type
Title III
(For all investors)
Offering Type
Convertible Debt
Finance History
  • $173.798K
    2019-09-01
    Unknown
Notable Investors
Learn more on SeedInvest