When it comes to watches, consumers are faced with a decision: buy a smartwatch that offers a variety of high-tech features but lacks in looks, or buy a traditional watch that matches their style and hobbies, but doesn’t have an abundance of features.

There’s a need for a watch that offers the capabilities of a smartwatch without sacrificing design, brand or the sentimental value of a classic watch.

That’s why MainTool aims to seamlessly connect everyday things already part of people’s everyday lives, starting with our smart strap — the watch strap that offers the functionality of a smartwatch and the timeless look of a classic leather watch strap.

Traditional watches, necklaces, rings and other jewelry withstand the test of time, while wearable technology like smartwatches are quickly forgotten.

That’s because when it comes to watches, form and function are both crucial. Smartwatches may offer more functionality, but they’re not aesthetically appealing.

Wearable technology in its current form is created with focus on its function as a high-tech device, not as jewelry. For this reason, smartwatches have failed to seamlessly integrate into people’s everyday lives.

Consumers consider look, feel and style when deciding what to buy and how to dress because it affects how they feel about themselves.

People want to look and feel good, and bland, chunky smartwatches don’t help accomplish that.

That’s why MainTool aims to embed technology into watches without compromising on design, brand and how it makes people feel.

MainTool’s first product is the world's first leather smart strap for classic watches, which gives traditional timepieces the same features and connectivity as today's best wearable technology.

With our strap, people benefit from the same high-tech functionality of a modern smartwatch without compromising on style, brand or sentimental value.

Without changing their manufacturing processes, watchmakers can turn any watch into a smartwatch that seamlessly integrates into the wearer’s everyday life.

Our leather smart straps fit with all regular timepieces and are available in a variety of attractive colors.

The strap itself looks like a traditional watchstrap, but underneath the surface is patented technology that gives the strap a wide array of capabilities.

• ​Discrete notifications through customizable vibrations
• Hands-free navigation through vibration patterns using the wearer’s phone GPS
• Emergency alerts: with the push of a button, the strap sends text with the wearer’s phone GPS location to an emergency contact

The strap tracks biometric activity, like footsteps, heart rate and calories burned.

• One week+ of battery life
• 14+ days of data storage
• Waterproof IP67
• Magnetic charging
• Phone loss prevention

Plus, straps are built to meet the latest standards to allow for simple integration of future components.

The strap works with a mobile app that provides the user with useful information based on the strap’s gathered data. The app can also be customized to meet each watchmaker’s unique needs and branding requirements.

We’ve accomplished a lot during the process of taking our smart strap from concept to a ready-to-produce product.

• We’ve gone through eight successive full hardware iterations and countless intermediary ones to finally create a product that meets prospects’ desires for something that’s feasible, reliable and able to be produced on a mass scale
• We’re designing, inventing and creating our own overmolding/potting process
• Our product has been extensively tested using our in-house test benches and is ready for production
• We have solid development agreements with leading partners that allow all IP to remain owned by us, including improvements made by the manufacturer to the product or process

• We’ve raised 800K euros in seed money during several stages from various angel investors
• We’ve given demonstrations to more than 30 watch brands with 80% positive feedback
• We have 10 very hot leads with 1-5K units test from small and medium-sized watch brands
• Product screening talks are underway with the boards of several large brands of big groups. The largest unit order is estimated at 45K-70K for the initial launch and a 300K annual base.

• Watchband with integrated electronics (US 9,292,008)
• Flexible electronic strip (proprietary flex & modular battery architecture solves the hardest problems)
• Methods of overmolding electronics (silicon/elastomer potting/injection molding layering process or sleeve encapsulation process)
• Metal link strap design (different than Apple’s recently approved patent)

MainTool has been mentioned by a number of big-name publications, including BBC, Forbes, GQ, Vogue, El Pais, Gizmodo, El Mundo, ReadWrite, The Huffington Post, CNET, Le Point, BFM Business, Monochrome, and Maddyness.

We’re shipping the final beta units to prospects for final orders starting in September/October. We’re also looking at the potential purchase of 10K units by small brands this year, and will continue talks with bigger groups through next year.

Down the road, we plan to provide elderly people with health-monitoring devices they’ll actually use by offering smart straps that can be fitted to the watches they already wear.

Want to learn more about MainTool and what they have planned for the future? Make sure to request access to the Business Plan tab of the profile to find out how you can get involved!

Hussain is an Americanized Frenchman of Indo-Kenyan parentage. He has experience in business development and R&D product management in more than 10 countries, including helping to set up a telecom in East Africa and consulting work in China.
 

Harold is a French serial entrepreneur who has founded several companies in robotics, solar energy, events and the food and drink industry, including Teknobot, Emporio Sun, NRJ Drink, Apérobot, and K.K.S.

Julien is a French embedded systems engineer who has worked on multiple connected devices, from smart cutlery and smart self-sufficient indoor herb gardens to complex electronic projects for Zodiac, Safran, National Instruments, Prêt à Pousser, and Slow Control.

Matias is a Finnish product design engineer who has worked on designing wearable devices in the past and looking at integrating electronics in seamless designs. He has a background in industrial design and mechanical engineering and worked for a year with our former head of product design, Fred Martin (an industrial designer with +10 years of experience having created multiple connected objects from rabbit robots to futuristic coffee machines for startups and large companies alike) before taking the lead of this team.

Siraj is a Ugandan software developer who was an early employee at East African telecom “Smart East Africa” in Kampala, Uganda where he led and developed in-house customer registration, billing and mobile money applications and services. He leads our Android applications development and assists with extensive firmware testing.

Alejandro is a highly experienced Spanish iOS Developer who has developed more than 90 apps from scratch in 2 years (including coding, design, graphics, sounds, and mobile MK). He has led teams that have developed apps for many large corporations including leading Spanish newspaper El Paìs.  

Arnaud is a French chartered accountant and finance professional with an incredible startup spirit and ability to juggle multiple tasks at once. He previously worked at In Extenso (Deloitte) and has experience working in real estate.