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Clay Canning had an idea while in high school : smartphone concealment protectors that featured logos , right on the projection screen .
He later connected with Rashaun Brown , who was working in sports and licensing at the fourth dimension , and the estimation for Screen Skinz was stick out .
“ We both understood the opportunity and complemented each other ’s failing , ” Brown , the company ’s CEO , told TechCrunch . “ In December 2022 , I quit from my job to engage building Screen Skinz with Clay full - time . ”
Now , Screen Skinz can officially annunciate the closedown of a $ 1.5 million seeded player daily round lead by South Loop Ventures and Abo Ventures .
The company bring out custom , patent - pending phone concealment guardian that feature personalize Word or slogans that are seeable when the earphone screen is fatal and then go away when the phone is in use . customer can make their own design or pick from the company ’s existing catalog .
headphone accessory have always been a massive market , with the orbicular sieve protector market alone worthan estimate $ 51 billionas of 2023 .
Screen Skinz already holds originative license with various big - name mark , work with administration such as the NFL and NBA and entertainment brands like Marvel and the WWE .
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The modish fundraise grant Screen Skinz to move manufacturing from Asia to the U.S. , where it could more easily verify its supply string .
The troupe is looking to reduplicate down on the screen protection manufacture , and though it currently only focus on smartphones , there is a plan to one day flourish to making concealment protectors for pad of paper . “ With our IP , we can essentially develop CRT screen trade protection for any nomadic gimmick that has use for a screen protector and features a backlit showing , ” Brown order .
Brown described Screen Skinz ’s fundraising process as “ different , ” stating that it took the ship’s company about a year to close its semen round . dark-brown and Canning intentionally took their time , as they also sought to fine-tune their supply string and prepare inventory for a heap go - to - market place . “ We desire to do the work of selling a realistic vision to investors , ” Brown said .
Screen Skinz meet its cobalt - lead investor , Abo Ventures , through Brown ’s meshing from when he work at Texas A&M. They then meet South Loop Ventures while participating in DivInc ’s Sports Tech Accelerator in Houston .
Michelle Micone , the former SVP of consumer products at NFL and Hasbro , say she liked that the squad had a unique concept and also calculate out the fabrication and logistics of producing it . “ Customers desire a mellow level of personalization , but it ’s really , really arduous to deliver on time and at a reasonable price . Screen Skinz has that formula , and I wanted to be part of it , ” she told TechCrunch .
Other investor in the round let in Brent Montgomery , the CEO of Wheelhouse Entertainment , alongside Wayne Pfeffer and Brendan O’Donnel , former directors of worldwide mobile appurtenance product at Apple . Pfeffer , in peculiar , was also sell on the melodic theme of name screen door defender more personalizable . “ For years , personalizing your machine was limited to the case , ” he told TechCrunch . “ When I control the evolution to the front on a screen defender , I was sell ! ”
Brown said the company could look to raise as early as next year again . Screen Skinz has some partnerships lined up and is focused on customer acquisition and deepening licensing relationships .
