Cricket-based food and modular eyewear companies make pitches at 1 Million Cups

The founder of a food company that sells insect protein and the developer of modular eyeglass frames made presentations at Wednesday’s 1 Million Cups ICT event.

1 Million Cups ICT is a weekly gathering designed to aid entrepreneurs by making contacts in the community and gaining awareness. It meets from 9 to 10 a.m. on Wednesdays. Next week’s event will be at Wichita State University’s Old Town offices, 238 N. Mead.

Bugeater Foods

Co-founder: Julianne Kopf

Pitch: Kopf and others are making and selling Jump protein powder made from crickets. They are also looking into a wide range of insect-based protein products aimed at athletes, the environmentally conscious and the general public.

Status: Based in Lincoln, Neb., the product is available through its website (www.bugeaterfoods.com). The company also has gotten its products into Hy-Vee supermarkets and is working to get them into more stores.

Need: Investors, customers and a general increase in interest in eating insects.

Cypher Eyewear

Founder: Ken Ma

Pitch: Ma is developing eyeglasses frames that allow the insertion of modular components or tools, such as lights or speakers. He sees the glasses being sold to surgeons or technicians who need light directed on their work.

Status: Ma, an undergraduate at Wichita State University, is trying to get the key technology patented. Once he patents the technology and perfects the prototype, he hopes to license the product.

Need: Expertise in patenting and manufacturing such a product.

Next week: The next 1 Million Cups ICT will feature the Mastermind Show and Tule Fog Press.

This story was originally published June 22, 2016 at 12:46 PM with the headline "Cricket-based food and modular eyewear companies make pitches at 1 Million Cups."