Butterflies and brain waves: KC-area’s Healium floating with WEBBY nomination
April 9, 2019 | Austin Barnes
A year of traction continues for Columbia-inflated startup Healium by StoryUP.
The virtual reality solution for situational stress and anxiety recently landed a WEBBY nomination for best use of augmented reality, revealed Sarah Hill, the company’s founder.
Healium at InvestMidwest
“A WEBBY nomination for a small midwest company like ours is a big deal,” Hill said of the recognition that pits the startup against such media giants as AMC, NBC Universal, and Viacom-owned Nickelodeon.
Awarded annually, the WEBBY Awards celebrate the internet’s best in key categories, including: websites, video, advertising, media and public relations, apps, mobile and voice, social, podcasts, and games.
Healium secured a nomination for its VR simulation that enables a user to relieve stress by hatching butterflies with their brain waves, Hill touted.
“Healium is for people who aren’t necessarily a Buddhist monk, don’t already have an established mind body connection — but they need something quick that can quickly show them and allow them to see their feelings displayed inside the screen as opposed to having to go through years or months of practice on trying to develop that inner connection on your own,” she said.
Honored by the recognition, Hill said she’s hungry for a win — not just for her startup, but for all Missouri entrepreneurs.
“The winners are decided by the public and it would be pretty cool to have a Midwest company win,” she said. “It’s like an Emmy for the internet. … We need all the votes we can get!”
Click here to vote for Healium in the 2019 WEBBY Awards.
Healium, StoryUp
2019 has already proven to be a year of immense growth for Healium, Hill added.
The startup recently closed a deal to deploy Healium kits on 28 airlines, won $4,000 in a CES sponsored pitch contest and Best in XR at SXSW, and was invited to take part in the 20th showing of the InvestMidwest Venture Capital Forum.
“We completed a Department of Defense innovator cohort, we have revenue, and we’re in the middle of a million dollar seed round,” Hill said of Helium’s continued success.
Click here to read more about the inception of Healium in a TV newsroom.
2019 Startups to Watch
stats here
Related Posts on Startland News
Emerging esports org sets sights on sustainability, says it’s leveling up with industry veterans
A new esports organization has hit the ground running — and winning — less than six months since its founding, according to its Kansas City co-founder. M80 is set up for sustained success not just because the organization’s Valorant and Rainbow Six teams already boast one championship apiece, Nate Schanker said, but also thanks to…
How a Bonner Springs-based design firm turned a napkin sketch into this state-of-the-art camper
Whether a user is 51,000 feet in the air, or traveling across the Rocky Mountains on a camping trip, Infusion Design is focused on designing spaces that perform at the highest level for what a person needs and desires, said Sean Elsner. The company was always meant to stand out from the competition, the Infusion…
These two Small Biz of the Year finalists are among the half-dozen KC firms honored as Inc.’s ‘Best Workplaces’
A workplace in the era of talent shortages and a hyper-competitive jobs market is only as good as its ability to meet employees’ nuanced needs, said Melea McRae, a top founder whose marketing company was among six Kansas City firms selected for Inc. magazine’s Best Workplaces list. “Through our un-agency business model, we’ve built a…
PayIt goes outdoors, acquiring sportsman tech startup, Nashville hub for its expanded footprint
A newly announced deal to acquire Nashville-based conservation tech provider Sovereign Sportsman Solutions (S3) is expected to expand PayIt’s govtech solutions into the world of outdoor recreation — making it easier for hunting, fishing and boating enthusiasts to obtain needed licenses and permits. The strategic acquisition — subject to customary closing conditions and set to…