Get to know STRAP
Everything started a couple of years ago when Diego was a seven-year-old boy and fell in love with a robot. He was amazed with things the robot could do and immediately asked his parents if he could do something like that one day if he learned robotics.
About Us
- Technology startup based in Austin, TX and Guadalajara, Mx. With more than 30 specialized people with worldwide experience.
- Within our R&D office we work more than 80 hours a week in Strap technology development with the most qualified engineers.
- Firmware and hardware engineers with global experience and developments.
- Our team (collectively) has over 150 years of experience in the technology industry.
- Our production plant has the latest technology and machinery for product development.
- Nearly 350 hours a month in pursuit of the same purpose: to change the way assistive technology is made.
- We competed in the Startup World Cup obtaining the 3rd place worldwide.
- Finalists in the World’s Changing ideas Awards by Fast Company, in the “consumer products” category and honorable mention in the “on the rise” category.
Everything started a couple of years ago when Diego was a seven-year-old boy and fell in love with a robot. He was amazed with things the robot could do and immediately asked his parents if he could do something like that one day if he learned robotics. He started going to classes and eventually began teaching his classmates. This ten-year-old boy worked at the robotics academy and learned more and more every day. One day as he was walking through a supermarket, he saw a person trying to reach for an apple, he asked his parents why he couldn’t grab the fruit and they replied that he probably had a mobility impairment. Diego’s mind began questioning many things, and he made a promise to himself:
“One day I will create something to help this person have autonomy "
He didn’t know at the time that this promise would change his life. After much research, he came to the conclusion that there were many new devices that help with mobile autonomy, but for other disabilities, there were not.
Every five seconds, a person loses eyesight.
Back when he made this promise, he couldn’t have realized that in a hundred years the white cane had not have any major changes, unlike cars or even cell phones. The cane was simply obsolete for this new world, due to its limitations. Six years later he began developing prototypes and ideas for this new device.
One day when Diego was at an event and saw a person with a cane. That’s how he met Victor. Diego told him about his project and Victor agreed to try it and started to move in an event of more than 5000 people, without a guide, without a cane and without instructions, but with a big smile. “I feel normal, like I can see again,” said Victor in relating his experience. After this, Diego’s commitment to his promise was greater than ever, so he began working to improve the device. There came a time when the knowledge needed to take STRAP to the next level surpassed him, so he hired an expert with the money he won in a competition.
After a lot of hard work, tons of calls and messages started coming in asking about the device, everyone wanted to know more about STRAP. The answer was the following: Strap is the tool that will help you to regain your autonomy. This is a device that detects obstacles at head, chest and feet levels by using sensors. With it, you can have your hands totally free and feel confident in every step you take.”
List of events and contests STRAP has participated in
- Startup World Cup: We competed representing Mexico against the 30 top companies of other countries like Dubai, Germany, Spain, the United States, Corea, Japan, etc. being awarded the world’s third place.
- Fast Company World Changing Ideas Awards: Every year, Fast Company, the American business magazine focused on technology, business, and design, awards products, concepts, companies, policies, and designs that pursue innovation for the good of society and the planet. And this year STRAP was among its finalists in the “consumer products” category and honorable mention in the “on the rise” category. If you want to know more, check out the Fast Company article on our website.
- CES: The largest and most important technology event in the world, where leading companies with great technological advances are presented. Companies like Google, Intel, Mercedes-Benz.
- SXSW: One of the largest and most important events on entrepreneurship. Representing Mexico and STRAP
Today, we are more than 30 people (between our headquarters in Austin and the R&D offices in Guadalajara), changing the way assistive technology is made. More than a mission, we have a purpose: Changing the autonomy of millions around the world.
