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HapWare
Techstars '25Golden, US · Founded 2025 · 5 employees on LinkedIn · 5 known investors
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Hapware develops ALEYE, a wearable assistive device that uses smart glasses and computer vision to detect nonverbal cues like facial expressions, gestures, and body language, then translates them into haptic patterns felt on a wristband. It is designed for people who are blind, have low vision, or are neurodivergent to give them access to nonverbal social communication.
Also known as Hapware · HapWare (Techstars '25) · HapWare Inc.
Founders & leadership
HapWare was founded in 2025 by Jack Walters and Bryan Duarte.
Investors · 5
How we know: Sidecut Ventures's portfolio page · Not right? Tell us
How we know: the Techstars portfolio · open dataset · Top 3000 Accelerator Startups (no YC) 2026-08 · Not right? Tell us
Funding
SEC filings, press & company announcementsSource: company announcements and press reports — follow each round's link for the claim.
Company profile
researched Sep 2026HapWare Inc. is a Colorado-based assistive technology company developing wearable communication tools for people who are blind, low-vision, deaf-blind, autistic or otherwise neurodivergent. Its flagship product, ALEYE, pairs a camera mounted on smart glasses with computer vision and artificial intelligence to capture facial expressions, body language, gestures and emotional sentiment, then converts those signals into vibration patterns delivered in real time through a haptic wristband worn on the forearm. Users can perceive cues such as whether a conversation partner is smiling, interested, waving or extending a handshake.
The company positions ALEYE for everyday social engagement across school, work and home settings, and is engaging early users through beta programs and product waitlists ahead of a broader market launch. HapWare was a member of the Fall 2025 class of Techstars San Diego Powered by SDSU. The haptic wristband is patent-pending, and the company has begun exploring uses beyond accessibility after inbound interest at CES from gaming companies and Boeing regarding its haptic drawing grid for 3D simulation and training applications.
Business model
HapWare develops and intends to commercialize a hardware-plus-software wearable product, ALEYE, consisting of a haptic wristband used together with smart glasses. Prior to launch it is running beta testing and waitlist programs, and has financed development with a pre-seed round, state non-dilutive funding and competition prizes.
Traction
The company has drawn public-sector and competition support including $250,000 from the Colorado Office of Economic Development and International Trade, a $25,000 CTA Innovation Challenge grand prize and a $2,500 disability tech pitch award. It joined Meta's Alpha program for early software development on Meta Ray-Ban smart glasses, reduced its wristband form factor by 65%, and reported inbound interest at CES from gaming companies and Boeing, as well as from a Shark Tank casting scout.
Latest developments
At CES 2026 (January 6-9, Las Vegas) HapWare exhibited in Eureka Park as a CTA Eureka Park Accessibility Contest winner, won the $25,000 CTA Innovation Challenge grand prize for the IDD community, appeared on the CES Accessibility Stage and was called out by Meta during a wearables panel. The company described CES as the start of its first fundraise.
▸Full profile — market position, technology, go-to-market, geography, history
Market position
An early-stage assistive technology startup with 1-10 employees, recognized through accessibility-focused competitions run by the Consumer Technology Association and the Howe Innovation Center at Perkins School for the Blind.
Technology
ALEYE uses a camera on smart glasses to capture nonverbal communication cues — facial expressions, body language, gestures and emotional sentiment — and applies computer vision and artificial intelligence to translate them into haptic vibration patterns delivered to a wristband on the user's forearm. The wristband is patent-pending. During the Techstars program the company moved from self-built glasses to Meta Ray-Ban smart glasses via Meta's Alpha program for early software development, and worked with industrial designers from Integral8 to reduce the wristband's size by 65%. The underlying haptic drawing grid has also drawn interest for 3D simulation and training uses.
Go-to-market
Early traction has come through accessibility and disability technology competitions, accelerator participation and trade-show exposure. At CES in January 2026 the company exhibited in Eureka Park as a CTA Eureka Park Accessibility Contest winner, presented on the CES Accessibility Stage, and generated media coverage including an Engadget feature, three TV news segments and podcast and YouTube interviews. It is building a user base via beta programs and product waitlists ahead of commercial launch.
People who are blind, low vision, deaf-blind, autistic or neurodivergent seeking access to nonverbal communication cues in classroom, workplace, social and home settings.
Geography
Headquartered in Golden, Colorado, United States, with accelerator participation in San Diego and trade-show activity in Las Vegas.
History
HapWare was founded in 2025 by Jack Walters (CEO and co-founder) and Dr. Bryan Duarte (CTO and co-founder). The company completed a pre-seed round in April 2025, took part in the Fall 2025 Techstars San Diego Powered by SDSU class, and won the CTA Eureka Park Accessibility Contest two weeks into the program, which came with a CES booth. Following Techstars Demo Day in December 2025, the company exhibited at CES January 6-9, 2026 in Las Vegas, where it won the CTA Innovation Challenge for technologies supporting the intellectual and developmental disabilities community.
Compiled by commissioned research from 4 cited public sources — announcements, filings, and press listed under research sources below.
Key figures
latest reportedCompany-reported or press-reported figures, each dated to when it was claimed — not independently audited.
Timeline · 7
launches, deals, and filingsPrize at a disability technology pitch competition hosted by the Howe Innovation Center at the Perkins School for the Blind.
$2.5K source ↗
State economic development funding to accelerate product development, expand beta testing and prepare for commercialization milestones.
$250K source ↗
HapWare pitched and won the CTA Innovation Challenge focused on technologies supporting the intellectual and developmental disabilities community at CES, held January 6-9, 2026 in Las Vegas.
$25K source ↗
First external capital raise, backed by Kickstart; proceeds directed toward development of the ALEYE wearable communication system.
Won approximately two weeks into the Techstars program; award included a complimentary CES booth, promotion, media coverage and support from the CTA team.
HapWare took part in the Fall 2025 Techstars San Diego Powered by SDSU accelerator class, with Demo Day roughly a month before CES.
Connected to Meta through Techstars mentor John Iaia of Lenovo; HapWare joined Meta's Alpha program for early software development on Meta Ray-Ban smart glasses instead of building its own glasses.
Dated company events from announcements, filings, and press; legal rows summarize public dockets and regulator releases.
▸Research sources · 4
primary sources listed
- HapWare Secures Early Funding to Advance Wearable Communication Technology for Accessibility - VC Tavernvctavern.com · web
4 public sources were cited for this profile; the first-party ones are listed here.
Frequently asked questions
- What does HapWare do?
- HapWare builds ALEYE, a smart-glasses and haptic wristband system that translates nonverbal social cues into vibration patterns.
- Who founded HapWare?
- HapWare was founded by Jack Walters, Bryan Duarte in 2025.
- Who are HapWare's investors?
- HapWare's investors include Campus Founders Fund, MINES VENTURE, Sidecut Ventures, Techstars, Kickstart.
- Where is HapWare headquartered?
- HapWare is headquartered in Golden, US.