Sprint Accelerator startup raises $85K (and counting)

Hidrate, a startup at the Kansas City-based Sprint Mobile Health Accelerator, rapidly surpassed its fundraising goal before a pitch to investors and nearly 2,000 Kansas Citians.

The Minneapolis-based company’s Kickstarter campaign has already raised nearly $85,000 in two days, which more than doubles its goal to fundraise $35,000 in 42 days. Hidrate created a Bluetooth-enabled water bottle that tracks your daily water intake and reminds you when to take a sip with a glowing light in the bottle.

“We did not expect it to blow up this quick,” Hidrate CEO Nadya Nguyen said. “We worked really hard leading up to the campaign but it’s been really exciting how people are embracing and reacting to it. … We just went up 2,000 dollars in the last half hour.”

The 23-year-old Nguyen said that the funds will help Hidrate manufacture and further develop its water bottle. She attributed much of the campaign’s success to the Techstars-led Sprint Accelerator program, and to Kansas City for helping it grow awareness.

“We really owe a lot to Kansas City for our success,” Nguyen said. “I think the startup community has really pulled together to help us spread the word. … We’re really lucky to be here at the Sprint Accelerator. We wouldn’t have been able to make it this far without help. I really feel like the Kansas City startup community has embraced us.”

Nguyen will join 9 other Sprint Accelerator startup founders Thursday at Techstars’ Demo Day, which is scheduled for 5:30 p.m., June 4 at the Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts. Read more about the company’s experience in the accelerator and Kansas City here.