Clay Canning had an thought whereas in highschool: smartphone display protectors that featured logos, proper on the display.
He later linked with Rashaun Brown, who was working in sports activities and licensing on the time, and the thought for Display Skinz was born.
“We each understood the chance and complemented one another’s weak spot,” Brown, the corporate’s CEO, instructed TechCrunch. “In December 2022, I resigned from my job to pursue constructing Display Skinz with Clay full time.”
Now, Display Skinz can formally announce the closing of a $1.5 million seed spherical led by South Loop Ventures and Abo Ventures.
The corporate produces customized, patent-pending telephone display protectors that function customized logos or slogans which can be seen when the telephone display is black after which disappear when the telephone is in use. Clients can create their very own designs or choose from the corporate’s present catalog.
Cellphone equipment have all the time been a large market, with the worldwide display protector market alone value an estimated $51 billion as of 2023.
Display Skinz already holds inventive licenses with varied big-name manufacturers, working with organizations such because the NFL and NBA and leisure manufacturers like Marvel and the WWE.
Instance of Display Skinz display protector. Picture Credit: Display Skinz
The newest fundraise allowed Display Skinz to maneuver manufacturing from Asia to the U.S., permitting it to extra simply management its provide chain.
The corporate is trying to double down on the display safety business, and although it at the moment solely focuses on smartphones, there’s a plan to at some point develop to creating display protectors for tablets. “With our IP, we will basically develop display safety for any cellular gadget that has use for a display protector and encompasses a backlit show,” Brown stated.
Brown described Display Skinz’s fundraising course of as “completely different,” stating that it took the corporate a couple of yr to shut its seed spherical. Brown and Canning deliberately took their time, as in addition they sought to refine their provide chain and put together stock for a mass go-to-market. “We wished to do the work of promoting a practical imaginative and prescient to traders,” Brown stated.
Display Skinz met its co-lead investor, Abo Ventures, by way of Brown’s community from when he labored at Texas A&M. They then met South Loop Ventures whereas collaborating within the DivInc Sports activities Tech Accelerator in Houston.
Michelle Micone, the previous SVP of client merchandise at NFL and Hasbro, stated she preferred that the staff had a singular idea and in addition found out the manufacturing and logistics of manufacturing it. “Clients need a excessive degree of personalization, however it’s actually, actually exhausting to ship on time and at an inexpensive worth. Display Skinz has that components, and I wished to be a part of it,” she instructed TechCrunch.
Different traders within the spherical embrace Brent Montgomery, the CEO of Wheelhouse CEO, alongside Wayne Pfeffer and Brendan O’Donnel, former administrators of worldwide cellular accent merchandise at Apple. Pfeffer, specifically, was additionally offered on the thought of creating display protectors extra personalizable. “For years, personalizing your gadget was restricted to the case,” he instructed TechCrunch. “Once I noticed the evolution to the entrance on a display protector, I used to be offered!
Brown stated the corporate might look to boost as early as subsequent yr once more. Display Skinz subsequent has some partnerships lined up and is targeted on buyer acquisition and deepening licensing relationships.
