Top Austin Maker’s Picks: Tribeza Talk

Weeva Your Memories

“We help people show their legacy,” CEO Kim Gorsuch says of Weeva, her company that lets people collaborate to create beautifully detailed memory books for anniversaries, graduations and other occasions. Armed with a deep background in business strategy and a desire to create connections with others, Gorsuch launched Weeva in March 2014. “If we can create more engagement and more connection and meaning in the lives of other people, that’s a mission worth pursuing,” Gorsuch said.

For more information visit weeva.com

Great App-titudes

Thumbs up to these five apps, developed in Austin, that aim to improve your life. On a hot August day in 2014, Jason Ervin was buying and moving furniture when his 16-year-old son Ethan joked there should be a way to press a button and have it delivered. Utilizing the technology that Jason had built for another project, the father-son team began working on Burro, a delivery service specializing in furniture and household goods. Burro can offer delivery in less than an hour for around one-third the price of a traditional service.

For smaller deliveries, Favor has been a fave since its founding in 2013. Spot the turquoise tuxedo-shirted runners around town couriering groceries, take-out and more, on-demand in under an hour.

When it comes to getting from place to place, a number of start-ups have stepped up to fill the void left by Uber and Lyft, including the non-profit Ride Austin. Created virtually overnight by Austin engineers, the ridesharing app focuses on downtown and the airport with expansion expected later this year. Ride Austin’s fare roundup feature will allow riders to round fares to the next dollar and donate to charities.

Need a limo? One of GetMe’s more unique features lets users opt for limousine service. Why not ride in style? Of course, if you prefer to drive yourself, clear traffic tickets off your record with Aceable’s mobile defensive driving course. Just don’t do it in your car.

For more information visit getburro.com,favordelivery.com, rideaustin.com, getme.com, aceable.com

Just Desserts

With its brownie-like exterior and soft truffle interior, the decadent Miles of Chocolate dessert has been a hit from its start 14 years ago. While working as a personal chef, Miles Compton crafted his signature baked chocolate creation, and was quickly encouraged by friends to share it with the masses. Compton’s hybrid goody produces epic fans in chocolate-avores and can be picked up from the shelves of Whole Foods and Central Market. The company now produces some 360 pounds of the chocolate dessert each day in their East Austin kitchen. “Go and try some,” Compton entreated. “Have it with red wine and strawberries.”Don’t have to tell us twice.

For more information visit milesofchocolate.com

We’re Juiced

“Growing up I had horrible eczema and when I turned 14 or 15 I started getting very bad migraines,” Danielle Sobel recalled. Looking for solutions, she dug into health research, ultimately earning her health coach certification from the Institute for Integrative Nutrition. She also launched a plan for Juice Society, a brand of organic, cold-pressed juices whose first storefront, in Lamar Union, opened in April. The juices are “a great way to introduce nutrients and really healthy things into your life without feeling overwhelmed,” Sobel says. Lately she’s been reaching for Zest (green apple, pear, celery, spinach and lime) and planning for Flycatcher Farms, the company’s newly acquired 6.2 acre farm, which will provide fresh organic produce.

For more information visit juice-society.com

Well + Good

Summer can be the prime time for relaxation and self-care, and three new wellness businesses have health goals for you. “People take good care of themselves here a lot in Austin, but they’re always looking for what else they can do to enhance that or even make it a little bit better,”IVitamin CEO Jordan Cobb said. Opening this summer on South Congress, the IVitamin hydration therapy lounge offers a host of treatments that provide intravenous vitamins and minerals, to help boost the immune system and increase muscle repair. Taking over the former Flipnotics spot on Barton Springs Road, SquareRut Kava Bar slings shells of kava, a drink touted for its relaxation properties, as well as kava chocolates. Ever heard of halotherapy? In Lakeway, Austin Salt Cave, which opened at the end of March, utilizes salt to treat respiratory issues. Venture into the cave and prepare to breathe easier. For more information visit ivitamintherapy.com, squarerut.com, austinsaltcave.com

_{Read more from the Makers + Industry Issue | July 2016}