Luxury brands acquire start-ups to smarten up and future-proof fashion

Oct 11 , 2017

Luxury brands go hi-tech by acquiring start-ups

Start-ups like Biowatch and Optiwine are adding new horizons in the luxury world

Start-ups are a symbol of innovation and creativity. The luxury landscape is changing because of technological advances and the success of start-ups. Many luxury brands are recognising the innovation of start-ups and even acquiring them for their technology and for future growth.

The watch industry, for example, is split between watchmakers focused on carefully manufactured timepieces and the new wave of watchmakers that are embracing tech-enabled smartwatches. Brands such as Montblanc have started coming out with smartwatches to complement their mechanical models, but they are largely in the minority. In the meantime, younger brands are offering the latest in wearable tech to woo modern consumers.

The wearableBiowatch bracelet transforms your watch into a secure source of identification based on the unique pattern of your veins.

The Biowatch bracelet transforms your watch into a secure source of identification based on the unique pattern of your veins. The bracelet sends out authentication signals when the user is wearing it. CEO and co-founder Matthias Vanoni says that vein authentication is created the first time you wear the bracelet – the initialisation process takes only a few seconds. “You will no longer have to unlock your computer with fingerprints, type your password on your cell phone, or use electronic ID cards for e-banking,” Vanoni says.

A few banks and carmakers are testing the Biowatch bracelet. Far more advanced in its financing, Biowatch closed a first round of funding at 1.2 million Swiss francs (HK$9.8 million), in addition to a previous investment of 800,000 Swiss francs from Swiss government funds.

The watch industry isn’t the only one rising to the challenge. The wine industry is in good shape and global demand is rising every year. But despite a history as old as civilisation, even this traditional space is open to technological innovation. Enter Optiwine.

French start-up Optiwine came up with a solution for the decanting process – pocket decanters using the firm’s patented nano-aeration technology.

A French start-up, Optiwine recognised a struggle that every wine aficionado faces: the decanting process. Decanting can improve the taste of the wine, but it can also ruin a precious wine.

To solve this problem, Optiwine developed a stylish pocket decanter using its patented process of nano-aeration. Founders Olivier Caste and Michael Paetzold say that aromatic molecules in wine have a short oxygen lifespan. “Oxygen needs to be brought into the wine gently, and nano-aeration brings out the best in a wine and retains all its aromatic qualities,” they say.