Deepa Sood

Deepa Sood is the founder and CEO of Cuff, a company that specializes in creating smart jewelry that combines fashion with technology.12 She launched Cuff in 2013 after observing her husband's interest in a fitness-tracking bracelet, which inspired her to create more aesthetically pleasing wearable technology.1

Background and Career

Before founding Cuff, Sood had a diverse professional background:

1. She worked as a lawyer at the San Francisco firm Latham & Watkins.1
2. Sood later joined Restoration Hardware as vice president of product development after the CEO, Gary Freidman, discovered her talent for repurposing vintage finds into furniture.1

Cuff: Bridging Fashion and Technology

Cuff's products aim to bridge the gap between fashion and function in wearable technology. The company offers a range of smart jewelry items, including:

• Bracelets and pendants that contain a sensor with an accelerometer to track activity1
• Devices that connect wirelessly to smartphones via Bluetooth1
• Jewelry pieces that provide notifications for calls and texts from important contacts1
• A safety alert function that can send GPS coordinates to selected contacts1

Entrepreneurial Approach

Sood's approach to entrepreneurship is characterized by:

• A focus on creating products that people find appealing, drawing from her experience at Restoration Hardware1
• An interest in juxtapositions and combining clean lines with embellished designs1
• A hands-on approach to product development, having made the first Cuff prototypes using a 3D printer in her garage1

Business Success

Under Sood's leadership, Cuff has achieved significant milestones:

• Strong demand for Cuff products, with shipping beginning in early 20151
• Engagement in product co-development talks with major accessory brands like Kate Spade and Montblanc1
• An exclusive distribution deal with Richline Brands, announced at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas1

Deepa Sood's innovative approach to wearable technology has positioned Cuff as a notable player in the intersection of fashion and tech, offering consumers stylish alternatives to traditional wearable devices.