North American ski hills get about 80 million visits per year but ripping down mountains in winter isn’t the safest activity. Canadian youths experience more than one thousand hospital emergency room visits per year from ski and snowboard-related accidents.
SkiKrumb provides a safety net for outdoor enthusiasts braving the wintry hills. The Vancouver startup is the maker of a compact and durable device that combines GPS technology with a software platform to mitigate the risks associated with skiing and snowboarding.
The tech provides location updates every 10 seconds, as well as video replay highlights from runs skied throughout the day. But what sets skiKrumb apart from other tracking devices, the founders say, is its reliability in cold conditions, which tend to reduce the battery life of cellphones.
“Our devices are small, rechargeable devices that can transmit many kilometres,” says chief executive officer Keith MacIntyre. “They don’t freeze in the cold and are the most reliable tech for the challenging environment of resorts.”
To prove this, the wearable was battle-tested last winter through an official partnership with the Okanagan’s most popular winter resort, Big White. The pilot was successful, according to MacIntyre.
“Our customers last year have told us that skiKrumb changed their entire skiing experience and they will never ski without it again,” the CEO stated.
Since then skiKrumb has added several ski destinations to its portfolio, including Revelstoke, Apex, Sun Peaks, and Mt. Sima.
In addition to more mountains on the roster, skiKrumb is also adding features to its product.
Last month, the startup launched “skiKrumb Unbound,” an upgraded offering for finding friends and family via phone. If a skiKrumb device is connected to the company’s network, users will be able to see where their friends and family are on a map on their phone—even with no cell connection.
“It’s been my dream for many years—after being separated from my son while skiing—to connect people at ski resorts without relying on the cell network,” said MacIntyre.
The company is a Top 10 finalist for this year’s New Ventures BC Competition. Now in its 24th year, the annual competition highlighting tech innovation across the province culminates later this month at an in-person event at the Stanley Park Pavillion.
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