In what the company calls "a very difficult time for equipment manufacturers in the smart kitchen space", Teforia, the manufacturer of tea infusion devices, says it will cease its activities today, according to his website.
The above remark on the fact that it is hard for hardware manufacturers in the smart kitchen is probably a reference to devices like the now-defunct Juicero (who raised more than $ 100 million in risk financing ). The main product of Teforia was an internet-connected tea infuser that could brew the pre-packaged starter teas, which he called "sips". Users pack sips into the company's "infusion globe". The price tag was very high, much like some of these other Silicon Valley solutions that aim to hit people with more buying power.
"However, the reality of our business is that it would take a lot more funding and time to educate the market and we simply could not raise the necessary funds in a very difficult time for hardware manufacturers smart kitchen. "space," said the company on its website. "Therefore, it is with great heart that we announce that all business operations, for the company Teforia, will cease. To be in effect today. We will continue to look for a partner who can leverage Teforia technology and / or provide Sips tea sales to continue our mission of raising the tea experience. I hope you will see Teforia technology in future products. "
Teforia raised $ 12 million just a year ago in a round of financing led by Translink Capital, with Upfront Ventures, Lemnos Labs, Correlation Ventures and Mousse Partners also investing in the company. Originally, the device was priced at $ 649 when it raised $ 5.1 million in a seed round led by Upfront Ventures. A little over a week ago, the site mentioned the price of the device at around $ 1,000 (or about the cost of an iPhone X). Users can still buy the infuser, which now costs $ 200, as well as a variety of teas until November 3.
The tea industry is huge, and there may be room for a product in the upper income curve for tea consumers, especially those seeking a simpler experience without having to manage the quantities. , temperature or time. The whole brewing process of a perfect cup of tea can, indeed, be quite fickle – although the average consumer will probably not meditate too much on a ten degree difference in brewing temperature.
"In our mission to deliver the best tea experience, we have not compromised Teforia Infuser technology, quality or premium tea packaged in our Sips," the company said on its website. "The glass in the brewing globe and carafe are hand-blown by a glass craftsman, one at a time.We have spent a great deal of time preparing our Sips Tea Container for it to be 90% compostable and fully recyclable, we went to these extraordinary lengths because we believe that high quality leaf tea should be delivered in the most delicate and sustainable way. "
It's hard not to read in this line a little with the idea of spending hundreds of dollars to simplify simple tasks, but by applying technology, it's quite possible that you end up with a better tea. There are many products beyond Juicero that want to target this higher income bracket with smarter and smarter devices that might require precise measurements and mixes as the Keurig has tried to simplify the preparation of their products. a single cup of coffee. (The Keurig costs less than $ 100.)
We contacted their press email, which rebounded, as well as CEO Allen Han to verify that the startup has closed according to the open letter published on the site. Han responded, saying "our thoughts are captured in the message on our website."