Aiming to solve posture pain in musicians, I realized that the traditional music stand was bulky, clunky, and never at the right height (most metal stands are flimsy and limited to a maximum height of 54", still too short for the average musician). I invented Stikato (U.S. patent pending), a nano-suction music stand that weighs just a few ounces, yet is strong enough to support an entire binder of music.

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I bootstrapped the project over a summer, working with an intern to iterate through 48 prototypes (named in alphabetical order after different species of fish). From cardboard mocks to laser-cut manufacturing prototypes, I user tested Stikato with over 500 musicians across the nation, including concertmasters in major U.S. orchestras (Metropolitan Orchestra, SF Symphony), social media influencers (ThatViolaKid, Nathan Chan, & more), and brand ambassadors at every major music conservatory.

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From integrating with online retailers, managing supply chain & customer service, working with manufacturers & conducting product performance tests, designing packaging & optimizing shipping costs, filing patents & negotiating licensing contracts, Stikato has been a learning experience in nearly every aspect of entrepreneurship.

Since launching on Kickstarter, Stikato has been shipped to 6 different countries, is on the walls of Carnegie Hall & the Royal Conservatory of Music, and has been featured by The Strad, The Violin Channel, and SlippedDisc. More information at www.chameleondesignfirm.com/stikato.