Featured Startup Pitch: Deka aims to give the boring old Bluetooth headset a stylish upgrade

By Erik Adams, Deka founder and CEO

Elevator Pitch: Deka is the world’s first customizable Bluetooth headset that truly combines both fashion and technology into a personal communication device.

Product/Service Description

The Deka Bluetooth Headset is the world’s first customizable and interchangeable Bluetooth headset. With Deka, users can customize their Bluetooth headsets with a variety of unique colors and have the ability to choose the Deka Slide of their preference—the ultimate combination of style, self-expression, and functionality.

Founder’s Story

I spent much of my childhood coming up with outside-the-box solutions to challenging problems. Since high school, I fused my creativity and entrepreneurial spirit to develop a diverse spectrum of businesses from entertainment to retail.

A few years ago, I took a close look at the wireless industry, and while I found many customization options for the devices themselves, Bluetooth headsets lacked variety and personality. Following a few brainstorming sessions, Deka was born—the company behind the world’s first customizable and fashionable Bluetooth headset. With Deka, I’m bringing my artistic sense to the wireless technology industry.

Marketing/Promotion Strategy

We have a few key marketing and promotional strategies that we’re working on. Our key partnership with Liquipel allows us to have a co-branded opportunity in the waterproof electronic devices market. We’re also marketing to independent artists to have their own branded designs and are currently working on potential licensing deals with music artists/entertainers and brands.

The social good space is also very important to us at Deka. With that being said, we’re going to cross-market with our mobile app to reward drivers for being hands-free. We’re looking to cross promote with insurance companies and authorized mobile carriers.

Market Opportunity

The wearable tech space is growing—in particular, the $40 billion cell phone accessories industry is up for grabs. Also, along with increased smartphone sales, according to GigaOM, global shipments of all headsets will grow 15 percent in 2013 to 1.9 billion at an annual rate of 8.7 percent through 2017.

How We Differentiate From the Competition

The market place for Bluetooth headsets is massive globally so that there’s enough room for small guys like us to enter the market. However, what sets us apart is what we’re bringing into the market, which is a product that’s the first of its kind. We’re giving people limitless options to have a stylish Bluetooth. With Deka, we’re able to deliver a vision that no one else is doing today. But even being the first to market, we’ll develop competition. So, there’s always going to be some sort of competition when there’s a market opportunity.

Business Model

We sell the Deka through distributors (international and domestic), resellers, retailers and our website. Retail pricing is $69.99 per unit (Deka base plus one standard design Slide). Individual slides are $9.99.

Current Needs

We’re looking to raise $500,000.

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Website: www.dekasounds.com 

Founder: Erik Adams 

Headquarters: Irvine, California

Investors: Bootstrapped (currently fundraising through Indiegogo)

Year Founded: 2013 

Twitter: @dekasounds

Facebook: facebook.com/dekasounds

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/3488466

Indiegogo Campaign: indiegogo.com/projects/deka-the-most-customizable-smartest-bluetooth-headset