Welcome to our blog series, “Meet a CoMotion Labs Member.” These posts offer a peek into the groundbreaking work CoMotion Labs startups do and why they do it here. Stay tuned for profiles about startups innovating in software, IT, fintech, life sciences, biotech, medtech, hardware, prototyping, and nanotechnology. They all work in one of our two physical locations on or near the UW campus — at Fluke Hall and Startup Hall.
KLOA
Michael Murphy, Founder, KLOA
Angie Wang, UX Designer, KLOA
Teddy Newell, iOS Developer, KLOA
Chen Zeng, UX Researcher, KLOA
Nestor Qin, iOS Developer, KLOA
Yuwen Li, UX Designer, KLOA
Where: CoMotion Labs (Startup Hall)
Joined: January 2019
Who:
-
- Michael Murphy, Founder
- Angie Wang, UX Designer
- Teddy Newell, iOS Developer
- Chen Zeng, UX Researcher
- Nestor Qin, iOS Developer
- Yuwen Li, UX Designer
What is your startup all about?
Kloa is a pre-seed software company in the CoMotion Labs Startup Hall incubator at the University of Washington. We are exploring a new digital platform to browse and discover lifestyle content on mobile. Kloa’s innovation is a new content format that bridges web and social media. The format invites browsing, but also lengthy immersion in individual posts. The Kloa platform is useful as a knowledge utility, but also for entertainment or diversion. Simultaneously, Kloa is pioneering a new way to communicate by text on mobile. The method uses a new selection interface and context-sensitive prediction. Broad selection keys make communication by text faster and easier on mobile.
What problem do you solve?
Mobile users seek more opportunities for meaningful content browsing. ‘Meaningful’ refers to browsing experiences that appeal to curiosity, impart useful knowledge, and entertain or amuse but still feel like a productive use of time.
What’s the latest?
Users are telling us they want the kind product we are describing but, so far, we are showing them only prototypes. We need to get building!
Startup Advice:
Offer talented people a difficult problem that has meaningful benefit if solved. Give them autonomy to pursue their vision and own the successes. Focus on hard problems.
Why do you love CoMotion Labs?
The community! We learn so much from the other startups in CoMotion. We also benefit immensely from experts that CoMotion brings in through formal and informal events. CoMotion is also a gateway to talent and knowledge at the University of Washington.
Connect with KLOA
Web: KLOA page in CoMotion Startup Database
LinkedIn: @kloa
Email: mike (at) kloa (dot) com
Want to incubate your startup here?
About CoMotion Labs: CoMotion Labs, a self-sustaining membership-supported program of UW CoMotion, provides a multi-industry incubation environment for early-stage startups with a focus on UW spinoffs. From critical infrastructure (desks, dry benches, wet lab space, and prototyping capabilities) to just-in-time learning, mentoring, and networking, CoMotion Labs nurtures company growth and enables success. Our labs are currently home to over 100 startups and operate in two locations on the UW Seattle campus.