5 tips for wearables-focused startups

When it comes to wearable technologies the MENA region could do with a few more success stories.

Aside from Lebanese entrepreneur Hind Hobeika’s Instabeat, Bahraini entrepreneur Thieab Al Dossary’s Feelix, or Atheer Labs‘ 3D glasses, these devices remain a rarity in the region.

That said, given the wearables sector is still taking baby steps at a global level it’s not too bad.

And it has considerable potential that goes beyond sports wearables and 3D glasses, to include more functions of our daily life.

Studies indicate that the sector’s worth will grow from around $20 billion in 2015 to $70 billion by 2025, with healthcare taking the lion’s share.

More aware of the potential of this sector, a larger number of entrepreneurs have been vying for their own place in this market.

To provide them with valuable insights, Wamda recently met a group of entrepreneurs at Abu Dhabi’s Wearable Tech Show, from Germany, UK and Holland, to gather some lessons they’ve learned on their own journeys.

Decide: hardware or software?

Founder of “the Instagram of virtual reality” Optonaut, Johannes Schickling believes that deciding on whether to tackle the software or hardware side is crucial.

“You won’t be able to do both, unless you’re a big company,” he says. “We wanted to provide a solution that depends on two smartphones, but we then realized that rarely do users own two phones.”

His advice: “Decide what you want, as this will be an easier method for success.”

Original article by Pamela Kesrouani

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5 tips for wearables-focused startups