There’s a saying in the startup scene: Hardware is hard, because making a physical product, as opposed to software, requires substantial upfront costs. Even successes, such as Fitbit and Peloton, seem to eventually stall. It’s no wonder, then, that Caleb Polley found it difficult to land early investment.
Polley’s big idea? Beds designed for children with special needs. In the United States, one in 44 kids have autism, and while there were companies making beds for them, Polley believed he could produce a better product, he says, “and wrap it in modern technology.” After rustling up $70,000 to $80,000 in venture capital, Polley had to piece together the rest of his startup costs—landing grants through the Colorado Office of Economic Development, for example, and winning the pitch competition at Denver…
