The mind of Kelowna’s Damjan Madjar has been bursting with business creativity since his first startup idea at the age of eight.
And while that proposition of owning a chocolate factory may not have come to fruition, it was a sign that Madjar’s mind was flush with business ideas.
Now 27, Madjar—along with business partner Shane Broesky—is launching a new business aimed at helping those who have trouble drinking from a cup, whether they are elderly, disabled or just want to drink with more ease.
Madjar is CEO of the Kelowna-based start-up Drink E-Z and is seeking public support to bring what he is calling the world’s first automatic drinking cup to market.
It’s an idea that began three years ago as a joke as he and friends thought why not have a cup that does the drinking for you? But days later Madjar noticed that there were real applications for such an invention. A friend at the time had his jaw wired shut after corrective surgery and that was when the light-bulb went on.
“This was that ‘aha’ moment where it dawned on me that maybe there is a market for something like this,” said Madjar. “After seeing there was absolutely nothing to use other than a syringe to drink or feed yourself with, is when Drink E-Z was born. It wasn’t just post-jaw surgery that an automatic cup could be useful for, but a multitude of markets and individuals: Those that suffer from ALS and MS, Bell’s palsy, stroke patients and the elderly. Also the dentistry market.”
Together with Broesky, the two designed the Drink E-Z cup. It looks just like a regular to-go cup but has built-in technology that automatically pumps the liquid through the straw.
“Sometimes people need a little assistance while drinking,” said Madjar, also the founder of the popular candy cane lane in Kelowna. “Whether you have limited abilities to consume liquids conventionally, you are heading into the dentist office or you just want to drink with more ease, the Drink E-Z Cup helps get that liquid into your body.”
The patent-pending Drink E-Z cup is made up of four interlocking compartments: A battery holder, an FDA approved food grade pump, a soft touch button and a liquid output section. Anyone can drink from the cup simply by pushing the button gently. The liquid is pumped up through the straw and into the mouth with no need for any suction. The straw fits snug to the bottle, preventing any spillage.
“Our design has been revised and re-engineered multiple times to the point where we came up with the most comfortable and sleek design possible, without compromising functionality,” said Madjar.
Drink E-Z will be available for pre-order on crowdfunding platform Kickstarter, where the duo are also hoping to raise $50,000 by Jan. 22.
The money go towards injunction moulds and a production run. On Kickstarter, if a company’s fund-raising goals aren’t met, investors are not charged.
To find out more and to support Madjar and Broesky and the Drink E-Z Cup, go to their Kickstarter page here.
