April 20, 2016
Source/The Today Show
Vanessa Chan presents Loopit earphones in semifinals of 'The Today Show's Next Big Thing competition.
A Philadelphia mother is one step closer to a QVC bonanza after her tangle-free Loopit earphones advanced this week to the final round of 'The Today Show's "Next Big Thing Competition."
Engineer turned entrepreneur Vanessa Chan took a big step forward with her stylish headphones that double as a magnetically clasped necklace. The theme for this year's contest is "Moms on the go" and Chan claimed a victory in the category "Gadgets for mom's purse," beating out a coffee straw and a portable wine glass by popular vote.
Chan, a UPenn grad who received her Ph.D. from MIT, has already raised nearly $35,000 through her Kickstarter campaign and anticipates delivery of the redesigned product in May 2016.
On Friday, if she can win in the final round, Chan will have the opportunity to sell her product – marketed at $50 a pair – starting at 10 a.m. on Chester County-based QVC's TV network.
If history is any indication, Chan would almost instantly sell out of Loopit's initial inventory. Last year's winner, GoodHangups, a headache-free solution for wall art, sold out before the QVC special began in earnest. The product has also appeared on QVC several times since its initial run.
In addition to the high-quality headphones and a casual necklace, Loopit can also be used as a headset for phone calls. Learn more about the product below and tune in Friday to see if Chan triumphs in the finals.
