Interview with Madison Maxey

I've always been interested in how things are made and got interested in coding and hardware when trying to make a website. I followed a programming bootcamp with residencies and internships that were tech and research-related; so, I decided to combine what I knew about textiles with what I learned about tech.

WeWork is an investor from the WeWork creator awards. I started research for the product with funds from consulting in the early days of the company.

The LEL has changed a lot. It started as a stretchy circuit with conductive ink and morphed into the scalable product we have now.

We can't disclose what's in the LEL, but the interconnect and magnetic connector can ensure 50 washes and dries, and the core soft layer really depends on your function. If it's data and power, it can endure a lot more than heating, for example.

We're getting a lot of inquiries from automotive, consumer electronics, and personal protective equipment (PPE). We're very excited about the auto and PPE opportunities.

I think tech-enabled fashion is one thing, but e-textiles are another, and e-textiles are limited by cost and ability to scale. I think the way this industry grows is actually not in fashion, but in PPE, consumer products and functionalwear. We see ourselves as a soft circuit company and not really a fashion company. So, we target industries who have a need for a soft, flexible circuit.

Heating is one of the most obvious use cases. Who doesn't want to be a little warmer in winter?

We're not really a fashion-tech start-up, but more of a soft circuit company. So, we think we face many of the typical start-up challenges of building partnerships, hiring and getting funding.

Our H1 heated jacket will soon hit the market.