The US-Ukrainian startup Petcube, which offers an interactive device to keep people connected with their pets, has just announced a new feature in the latest version of its app.
Thanks to this app, iPhone users can now broadcast their pets live on Facebook. Petcube is the first HD pet camera to do so, says the company. The Android-powered app will be upgraded soon.
Earlier this month, when asked by lifestyle and fashion blog Coveteur about the apps she can’t live without, Emma Watson refered to Petcube.
“Oh my god, and Petcube! This is life-changing. You can buy a camera that fits in your apartment, and it’s a live feed. You can talk to your pets, and it comes with a laser that you can move around that they can play with. You can check in on them and see how they’re doing when you’re away!” the popular actress told Coveteur.
Another good news came from the London Wearable Technology Show, where Petcube has won the Smart Home Award .
Petcube presents its device as an original invention: “There are a number of other smart devices for pets, for example people use security cameras or even combine a laptop with skype to watch on their pet,” Petcube founder Yaroslav Azhnyuk said in an exchange with Ukraine Digital News.
“But none of the players with a significant size directly competes with us; our device is the only one to allow you to interact with your pet by talking and playing with it,” Azhnyuk claimed.
Petcube is now available in North America, Europe and Asia Pacific. Last year, the startup announced its partnerships with Media Markt and Saturn in Europe, leading US pet retailer Petco in the US, Softbank in Japan, and Petbarn in Australia, the press service told Ukraine Digital News.
Headquartered in San Francisco with offices in Kyiv, Ukraine and Shenzhen, China, Petcube initially received more than $250,000 from Kickstarter backers in what was “one of the most successful crowdfunding pet products in history.”
The startup then received a grant from the Global Technology Foundation (GTF) in Ukraine, and several millions of US dollars in several rounds from such funds as AVentures Capital, Almaz Capital, SOS Ventures.
The startup was part of the Y Combinator Winter 2016 class.
Source: Petcube, Wearable Technology Show, Coveteur.
