The Best of CES is Grimy

Every January at CES, the Samsung’s and Sony’s of the world unveil their latest product lines in effectively, though a severely gross understatement, “booths”. These multimillion dollar monuments erected by apex corporations span acres. They not only serve as the perfect environment to experience the newest consumer goods, but are equally a corporate game of one-upmanship.

Meanwhile, in the basement below at Sands, with ceiling heights perhaps a quarter of what Microsoft has to deal with upstairs, hundreds of startups jockey for media and investor attention. Each of these booths are the size of an apartment closet, and startup teams from around the world, outfitted in matching t-shirts, backpacks hidden away under their card table, rabidly filter out the thousands of people walking and gawking. With only a finite amount of hours and days, these startups have to gauge which passerby is worth pitching to, and which conversation needs to kindly but abruptly end.

I love this part of CES the most.

Make no mistake, even getting a tiny card table at Sands is a huge victory. Each one of these startups has built a team that is risking everything for the ability to one day have a gaudy monument upstairs. These startups have already spent years figuring out the intricacies of design, engineering, prototyping, logistics, manufacturing, and so much more. As I meet with each of these team members, I am keenly aware that back home (wherever in the world that may be), they have family and friends who are immensely proud of the work they are doing. They truly believe this is the start of something great, that this year’s CES is when the narrative turns and hockey stick growth begins.

I’m also aware that each of these team members I talk to carry an immense amount of stress on their shoulders — stress they didn’t foresee when they started this journey, but stress they refuse to give up. They’re appreciative of the love and support back home, but I know first hand that, at times, it’s additional weight to shoulder. They have internalized some of their darkest fears, and are putting on a brave face. What seemed like confidence in the early-stage of their journey has wavered daily, if not hourly, and their company has faced certain death dozens of times. And still, they’ve made it here, in the human soup that is CES.

So to the startups exhibiting in a hotel basement, congratulations. From an outsider’s point of view, this may seem humble. But for those who have been along for this ride, this is a hell of an accomplishment. What you have done to make it here is incredible. It’s been grimy, gritty work and if all goes well, you’ll be facing many more years of this stress with even greater responsibilities to bear, and you’ll love every moment of it. I look forward to meeting with you all.

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