Santa Cruz Works is excited to share some of the applicants who have applied to our Santa Cruz Accelerates Program. We will be featuring a handful of startups each week! You’ve heard of WALL-E, but have you heard of Strider?

Name of your startup: Foco

Names of people on your team: Noé Lomelí

A snapshot of the problem your startup will solve to make the world a better place:

Strider is an RC car robot that is controlled hands-free. The runner can run naturally without having to hold any type of remote control because the camera on the back of the car keeps track of the runner's location at all times and adjusts its speed accordingly.

Sedentary lifestyles are increasing due to many reasons and as a consequence, associated health problems are on the rise. Foco's mainstay product, Strider, is a friendly robot that motivates people of all ages to be more active by providing exercises tailored to each user's specific age and running level. Strider can help anyone who wants to start to run for fun as well as seasoned competitive runners who want to improve their skills and it's also the perfect companion if you only want to get in a brisk 30 minute walk. The robot comes paired with a smartphone app where the user can see their health stats, such as distance covered, steps taken and current speed. The app allows users to customize their workouts or select predefined ones suggested for them.

We are taking advantage of computer vision to allow users to control the Strider robot without using their hands. This provides an user friendly experience that makes the activity more enjoyable while at the same time helps and encourages people to stay active.

“As a Latino, first-generation college graduate I feel grateful to be part of this supportive community and member of the 4th Santa Cruz Accelerates cohort because I will be paired with local and global mentors who will provide guidance and mentorship in business support, financial backing, access to VC’s, legal support, marketing, and more. These are resources that had been out of my reach before, but now I'm ready to make the most of this opportunity. Thanks to everyone who made this possible!”

Click here to see a demo video of the Strider robot in action.

To learn more about our Accelerates Program or apply, click the link below.

Learn more

Santa Cruz Accelerates #27: Foco