Jordanian Dancing Pillow Selected as Fourth Semi-Finalist for MIT Enterprise Region Startup Competition
Jordanian Dancing Pillow has been selected as one of the semi-finalists teams for this year’s MIT Enterprise Forum Pan Arab Region Startup Competition for the Start-up Track.
When Anwar Almojarkesh, an electrical engineering student, struggled to wake up to attend his classes each day he decided to throw away his alarm clock and replace it with his own invention, a vibrating pillow. Almojarkesh's passion for electronics started at the age of 14 when he received his first patent and began working on various inventions which he still uses today.
After several years Almojarkesh took a second look at his vibrating pillow and saw something new, he saw the potential for an invention that could support those with special needs. He created "The Dancing Pillow”, an electronic device designed for those with hearing difficulties.
The portable and light weight device which can be placed inside of pillows alerts users of their surroundings through the use of a smartphone application. "The Dancing Pillow" is especially useful in emergency situations such a fire, theft or when a baby is crying and it alerts people through vibration, light and smell. The application can also be programmed to recognize frequent voices or sounds that the user wishes to get notified about making it an even more practical and beneficial tool.
Almojarkesh established his company with the help and support of his two university colleagues, Abdullah Lababidi and Amr Wanley, who are working with him to further develop “The Dancing Pillow” and other inventions that support those with hearing difficulties.
"There are more than 100 million deaf people worldwide however this target market is overlooked when it comes to devices and applications. Our mission is to introduce devices and applications that make it easier for deaf people to blend in with their society and have a normal life,” said Almojarkesh.
The company plans to introduce additional products, including a bracelet and other accessories that can further enhance the lives of customers.
"Entrepreneurship is about solving problems and finding solutions, it is much more than simply making money,” stated Almojarkesh.
“Our team has the technical skills, however, in starting a business you need more than just technical skills and this is one of the main reasons why we applied to the competition. We believe that it will be a great opportunity to network and develop our skills,” he explained.
The team will attend a two-day workshop in Qatar in April along with 49 other teams, where they will receive coaching, training and network with other entrepreneurs from the Arab region and meet the region’s major players in the entrepreneurial ecosystem.
Find out more about "The Dancing Pillow" by visiting their website: www.dancingpillow.com or checking out their Youtube video.
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