The first day of the International Consumer Electronics Show 2015 is over and the Case Western Reserve University startups have been making an impact. Though traffic was a little slow during the morning, by early afternoon foot traffic was heavy with many industry professionals and press stopping by to see all of the companies sponsored by Blackstone Launchpad and think[box] and provide feedback, connections or, in the case of Spartan Yoyo Works, a critical boost.

The company was using their booth to both demonstrate their product and create new yoyos to display. For months, the company has been working to gain the funding for new filament resources to make more dynamic products. However, within the first day at CES, the company met with the producers of the material and received free samples.

They weren’t the only ones gaining valuable connections. SpiroSano was able to meet with some target customers in an effort to keep growing their pool of devices connected to their platform and Hema Imaging actually ended up judging a competition of wearable devices. Carbon Origin’s Apollo board was a success, pulling in traffic based on recommendations from other visitors. The company has high hopes of meeting their target of 5000 beta testers by the end of the week. Many of the startup CEOs and founders mentioned the power of the CES stage in gaining legitimacy and the power to approach other companies to find mutually beneficial solutions.

The show has also provided companies with learning opportunities. EveryKey came into the day with a plan for their booth and their product presentation. However, after a disappointing response early in the day, the team regrouped and refocused their booth with a new design which was more open and welcoming. The system worked and the afternoon saw a constant stream of visitors and interested parties. Now the team knows what they need to do in similar events in the future.

Many of the CWRU students closed the day at a CWRU alumni networking event which allowed students and past students to interact. The event will undoubtedly lead to new business connections and leads which will lead to an even greater impact for the individuals looking to gain traction in the emerging industries.

Tomorrow will include another press exclusive event for the companies and a full day of exhibiting at the Blackstone and think[box] booths. We will keep you updated on new developments via twitter and here at observer.case.edu.