In case you missed our press release, Kewl Innovations was selected as a 2012 TECH Fort Worth IMPACT Award winner. We are thrilled to be selected as this year’s Lifestyle category winner.

Here’s a quick recap of how this came about. Presented with the opportunity back in February, we decided to submit an application and crossed our fingers. It seemed like a longshot, but we knew the IMPACT AWARDS could open doors for Kewl and the chance to work hand in hand with a group like TECH Fort Worth seemed like a great opportunity.

A few weeks later we were excited to be invited to the IMPACT Awards pitch day, where companies presented to a panel of judges in order to narrow down the field.  We got to share the stage with a flock of budding, local companies and were truly surprised to be announced as finalists at the end of the event.  To be selected as a top company amongst so much entrepreneurial tact and innovation talent was simply an honor.

Hyped on our nomination, we spent weeks blogging, re-tweeting, creating press releases, we even got to go to a top-notch production studio (Studios 121) to film a video highlighting our goals as a company.

This Wednesday, we found ourselves at TCU’s Brown-Lupton University Union Ballroom, the venue for the IMPACT Awards luncheon.  As finalists, we were treated like true VIPs, getting photos taken and catching compliments from countless attendees.  We were flattered just to be there.  After a delicious meal, some chit-chat and a tremendously compelling presentation by keynote speaker Doug Solomon, the emcee approached the mic to announce the winner for the Lifestyle IMPACT Award, the award we were nominated for.

As we sat, clenching our teeth, he fumbled around with the envelope and eventually unveiled a small card with the blue Kewl logo and our little Kewl snowflake shining bright. “Kewl Innovations!” he announced, and we were called to the stage to receive the award as our spotlight video began to play…

Trophies and spotlights are awesome, but more than anything we are just happy to be able to share our story with a larger audience.  Our goal is to make diabetes easier to manage and we have a tool that does just that. We couldn’t be happier to know that a panel of industry experts believes in what we’re doing.

Thanks to all the wonderful folks at TECH Fort Worth who worked their tails off to pool together such a deep well of talent and resources. Please check them out at www.impactourworld.com or www.techforworth.org.

We are excited to announce that Kewl Innovations has been selected to participate in the Tech Cocktail Dallas Mixer & Startup Showcase!

Join us this Thursday, May 17th for an awesome event hosted by Tech Cocktail in partnership with Startup Texas and Launch DFW.

Click here for event details!

The mixer-style event, sponsored by Kewl HR partner TriNet and Chivas, will showcase some of the area’s most interesting early stage startups both online and off.

We’re looking forward to an evening of fun mingling with other technology enthusiasts, investors, bloggers, and entrepreneurs as we check out other local tech companies and get a closer look at their latest achievements.

Hope to see you there!

If you haven’t noticed already, we have a new ClimaPak logo and matching favicon. The Kewl team is very excited for the new look and want to know what you guys think. Let us know in the comments!

The challenges you face as an individual are especially unique.  This face is amplified when it comes to diabetes.  Despite sharing a diagnosis, each individual with diabetes has to have a management strategy custom tailored to their needs.  Furthermore, each PWD (person with diabetes) goes on forever tweaking and altering their management strategy as they learn more about their body and the nature of diabetes.

Last month the Kewl Team headed south to San Antonio, TX for Diabetes EXPO 2012, put on by the American Diabetes Association.  After pit stopping at the Alamo we made our way into the convention center armed with a Flip Video camera to capture conversations with PWDs about how they manage diabetes, and what measures they take to preserve their insulin.

Below, we’ve segmented the footage into a handful of clips and commented on the themes each clip touches on.

We started the day talking with Art, a friendly type 2 who explained the rigors of injecting cold insulin.  This was quite a testament to one of the less talked about features of the ClimaPak™.  ClimaPak operates within the appropriate temperature window for insulin (44-77 or 44-86 degrees F), which means that users benefit from the assurance of reliable temperature control, without the pain of injecting bitter cold insulin.  While this feature isn’t as flashy as nano-technology, or awesome battery life, it is a subtlety worth noticing.

Gill was in attendance largely on behalf of her father, a type 2 PWD (person with diabetes) who had been managing well until a separate medical complication forced him onto injected insulin.   Adding insulin to the diabetes management equation seemed to be the tipping point for Gill’s father.  While he takes steps to cool his insulin, usually by packing it in a case with ice, this method falls well short of the varying dynamics that can impact insulin care.  As Gill explains of her father starting insulin, “It really has just changed his game plan for everything.”

This Team Type 2 cyclist explained the hardships of managing insulin during endurance events.  It’s easy to see how your insulin would be vulnerable while running in an ultra-marathon, or any other event that requires hours of exposure, but the real eye opening thing was that this rider also went into the need for a solid insulin management strategy in the day to day routine.  Fact is, you need to protect your insulin from the heat, doesn’t matter if your running a marathon or just walking your dog.

The biggest take-away from our day at the Diabetes EXPO 2012 San Antonio,was simply being saturated in an environment of eagerness and enthusiasm.  The place was full of PWDs actively seeking the help they need.  It is this motivation that drives the innovation behind the management tools of the future, and it’s what keeps us inspired!

We finished the day chasing down this duck at the San Antonio River Walk.  While he declined to answer any of our questions, he did request a cameo appearance on the company blog.  We were happy to oblige.

Finally!

After all sorts sifting, voting, and debating, the Kewl Team has decided on a name for our wondrous little hi-tech device!  Major props go out to Emily Stunek for submitting the name ‘Neo’ which obtained the most votes on both voting rounds.  We’re also extremely grateful for everyone who submitted a name, or voted for one in this process.  The feedback we’ve gotten through social media and our website has been a major component in our naming decision, but keep in mind, a significant portion of folks who might benefit from our device aren’t highly engaged in social media.  Thus we went with a name that we thought would appeal to both the technology savvy, and less web-connected Kewl users.

Without further ado… our device is officially called…

ClimaPak

mmmmmmhmmm.

ClimaPak.  Say it a few times, ClimaPak, ClimaPak, ClimaPak.

We think it has the perfect ring to it, and we hope you do too!

Kewl Innovations Inc. is looking for an energetic and motivated marketing intern to join our busy startup.

If you’re creative and resourceful, and you’re looking for work experience in all facets of marketing, Kewl Innovations is the place for you. More details here.

Think you can cut it? Awesome. We look forward to meeting you.