Kochi- and San Francisco-based SectorQube Inc has raised under $125,000 (under Rs 80 lakh) via crowdfunding platform Kickstarter for its smart microwave oven, called MAID.
SectorQube, an incubatee of Kochi-based Startup Village, started its Kickstarter campaign early last month. The funds will be used to manufacture and ship the product for its backers from November next year.
The company, which was actually targeting $50,000 from Kickstarter, has got backing from over 300 people on Kickstarter.
SectorQube was set up in October 2011 by Sabarish Prakash, Nibu Alias, Ani Abraham Joy, Arjun S, Midhun Skaria, Biniyas VL and Ashwin Saju – all were B Tech students at Toc H Institute of Science and Technology (Kochi).
Its product MAID – which stands for Make All Incredible Dishes – is a smart kitchen assistant and microwave oven that knows every recipe and cooks every dish, claims Prakash. It brings crowd-sourced recipes directly to one’s kitchen. Connected to a recipe store in the internet, MAID has access to unlimited number of recipes.
According to Prakash, MAID has been created to make cooking simple, social and fun. One can also search for recipes based on ingredients, type of dish or just ask MAID to recommend a dish.
In addition, MAID also understands one’s calorie requirements based on his/her cooking habits and daily activities. Thus, it plays the role of a personal dietician recommending a healthy balanced diet for users, he claimed.
MAID can also stream cookery shows from the recipe store so that you can cook watching them. Also, just like a smartphone, MAID software can be updated over the air.
The ovens will be made by an external supplier based on design, specifications from SectorQube.
In an interaction with Techcircle.in early last year, Prakash had said that the firm had partnered with consumer durables firm Godrej to integrate MAID with its electronic devices. The firm was also planning to extend it to other home appliances, such as refrigerators, washing machines, TVs, music systems, home security systems, etc.
SectorQube is the third company from Startup Village to have raised money via crowdfunding platforms. Recently, Mindhelix Inc raised under $120,000 through Kickstarter for its product ‘Rico’ that converts one’s spare smartphone into a home security device. Early this year, RHLvision, another Startup Village incubatee, had raised $200,000 in funding via crowdfunding platform Indiegogo.
(Edited by Joby Puthuparampil Johnson)
