As you’re probably well aware, we were awarded a grant from the Kansas Department of Commerce to support early-stage founders in Kansas. With that funding, we designed the ACCEL-KS Proof-of-Concept Grant, a program that provides up to $25,000 to help Kansas founders take their projects from idea to commercialization. Our program includes wraparound services with ecosystem partner support from across the region. We received far more applications than we expected, and after a rigorous review process, we selected 20 grant recipients. Now, we’re going to share more about the projects they’re working on. We asked each founder the same set of questions, and over the coming weeks, we’ll publish their answers.
Up first, Handy Hook!
Company Name: Helten Panacea L.L.C.
Product: Handy Hook
What gave you the idea for your product or startup?
While firefighters pride themselves in speed of readiness for a fire or any other emergency, there was never an easy solution for glove placement or speedy glove ups. I worked with my department to research and develop a solution that has proven to work on the fire ground throughout the US and beyond.
What makes your product stand out?
There is no other glove management solution that will hold almost any type of glove on your person and also allow for single-handed donning and doffing. Handy Hook is working towards providing a mounting solution in almost any situation. Whether they mount on your pants, coat, table, BBQ grill, bucket truck, welder, etc. Handy Hook is striving to be the only available glove management solution that will make life easier and safer by leaving your gloves at the ready in any circumstance.
What have you learned so far on your journey?
The many different mounting methods have proved to be the most difficult part of my journey thus far. My patented Handy Hook glove design will work with almost any glove but the ease of use depends on where and how you mount the Hooks. Designing the best case scenario for multiple industries and making it a feasible choice that will improve each employee’s day is part of my biggest hurdle to overcome.
How are the ACCEL-KS grant funds helping you reach the next stage of development?
Giving me the ability to reach out to many different resources to bring more thought and experience into the prototyping process is by far the best part of the grant.
What kind of support do you need from the startup community?
Ideas and thoughts as to how Handy Hook could help different industries and also make for a feasible solution as opposed to stuffing them in your pocket or just using simple clips that won't allow single-handed glove donning and doffing.
What is something interesting we should know about you or your project?
Handy Hook has already proven itself through the fire service in every State in the US and many different countries abroad. Every part of Handy Hook is made right here in Wichita KS and I am very proud to put us on the map for such a positive improvement on fire ground operations.