You probably have a blender in your house. It’s probably… fine. But what if your blender could not only make you a really good smoothie, but do it silently — and look pretty dang cool in the process?
That’s exactly what Millo, a new startup reinventing the blender, is trying to do. They’re one of the finalists in the Startup Showcase at our Smart Kitchen Summit {SKS} food tech conference. We spoke with Ruslanas Adam Trakšelis, the co-founder and Chief Commercial Officer of Millo, to learn more about how the company is improving upon one of the most common household staples. Check out the Q&A below then grab a ticket to watch him and the other Startup Showcase finalists pitch live next week! We only have a few left (seriously), so get on it if you’re interested.
This interview has been lightly edited for clarity.
First thing’s first: give us your 15-second elevator pitch.
MILLO is the blender reinvented as a smart gadget. Using unparalleled magnetic clutch and a brushless motor called AirDrive, the MILLO has no bulky-looking mechanical parts and stands out by its sleek Scandinavian premium/minimalist design. MILLO is cordless, buttonless and fully portable. Its smart electronics, together with firmware, enable real-time tracking of changes in liquid consistency, which allows extreme precision and creates a new dimension in recipes that are conveniently shared within the Millo app.
What inspired you to start your company?
MILLO was born out of the frustration experienced by everyone who makes smoothies. Usual blenders are noisy, messy and hard to wash. After a number of occasions in which I woke up my newly-born daughter while making my post-workout morning smoothie, I decided to reinvent the blender.
The moment of inspiration came when I was watching my daughter playing with a toy which rotated two dancing figures with magnets. That inspired me to develop AirDrive, a motor based on the magnetic coupling. The AirDrive technology eliminates mechanical friction of engine parts, thus the noise level is reduced significantly and I don’t disturb my family’s sleep.
What’s the most challenging part of getting a food tech startup off the ground?
I believe this is not related to food tech startups in particular, but startups in general — the main challenge is to find the right people who believe in the project the same way as you do, or close to it. Not only co-workers, but also investors, advisers, etc.
How will your company change the day-to-day life of consumers and the food space as a whole?
Today’s lifestyles have us more overworked and time-poor than ever, with our bodies and our well-being suffering as a consequence. Obesity, heart disease, and stress-related illnesses are some of the greatest threats to our health today. But we don’t need devices telling us to break our bad habits — we need technology to help us to leave them behind.
MILLO is not just an improved blender, but a true gadget specifically designed to help us integrate a better diet and nutrition to our modern, busy lifestyles. It takes the noise, mess, and hassle out of blending, making it easier than ever to make the right choices
Get one of the last remaining tickets to SKS to watch Trakšelis pitch onstage with the other Startup Showcase finalists! We’ll see you there.
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