The Spoon Podcast

Building a Smart Kitchen Product With Ome Kitchen's Akshita Iyer


Listen Later

This week we are joined by Akshita Iyer, CEO and co-founder of Ome, a smart kitchen startup that’s revolutionizing home safety with its second-generation smart stove knob. Originally launched under the name Inirv, the company’s journey began with a simple idea born from a personal experience—retrofitting stoves to prevent kitchen fires and help those aging in place. From a 3D-printed prototype in 2016 to delivering their first product through Kickstarter, Iyer shares the highs and challenges of bringing a hardware product to life, including turning down a Shark Tank deal and navigating complex safety standards.

Here's what we discuss in this week's podcast:

  • Iyer shares how her mother’s experience with Parkinson’s and a kitchen fire inspired her to start the company.
  • The challenges of developing the product, from idea to fully functional smart knob.
  • Iyer's Shark Tank experience, including an offer from Robert Herjavec that they chose to decline.
  • How Ome Smart Knob prevents fires by automatically shutting off burners, with a focus on helping older adults and those with cognitive decline.
  • The UL 858 safety certification and the company’s role in updating industry standards.
  • How insurance companies may someday incentivize the adoption of smart safety devices.
  • How Ome is working with senior living communities to gather data on reducing cooking-related risks.

  • You can find out more at Ome Kitchen (www.omekitchen.com).

    Join The Spoon this week for a live conversation with two scientists from NotCo on how they are using AI to create new flavors and fragrances.


    Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    ...more
    View all episodesView all episodes
    Download on the App Store

    The Spoon PodcastBy Michael Wolf

    • 4.8
    • 4.8
    • 4.8
    • 4.8
    • 4.8

    4.8

    18 ratings


    More shows like The Spoon Podcast

    View all
    This American Life by This American Life

    This American Life

    91,036 Listeners

    Freakonomics Radio by Freakonomics Radio + Stitcher

    Freakonomics Radio

    32,130 Listeners

    Planet Money by NPR

    Planet Money

    30,626 Listeners

    Hidden Brain by Hidden Brain, Shankar Vedantam

    Hidden Brain

    43,627 Listeners

    99% Invisible by Roman Mars

    99% Invisible

    26,166 Listeners

    Pivot by New York Magazine

    Pivot

    9,514 Listeners

    The Sporkful by Dan Pashman

    The Sporkful

    3,942 Listeners

    Gastropod by Cynthia Graber and Nicola Twilley

    Gastropod

    3,648 Listeners

    How I Built This with Guy Raz by Guy Raz | Wondery

    How I Built This with Guy Raz

    30,238 Listeners

    The Peter Attia Drive by Peter Attia, MD

    The Peter Attia Drive

    8,782 Listeners

    The Bulwark Podcast by The Bulwark

    The Bulwark Podcast

    12,203 Listeners

    The Prof G Pod with Scott Galloway by Vox Media Podcast Network

    The Prof G Pod with Scott Galloway

    5,478 Listeners

    Hard Fork by The New York Times

    Hard Fork

    5,466 Listeners

    The Ezra Klein Show by New York Times Opinion

    The Ezra Klein Show

    15,942 Listeners

    Food with Mark Bittman by Mark Bittman

    Food with Mark Bittman

    971 Listeners

    Spoon Full of AI by Carlos Rodela and Michael Wolf

    Spoon Full of AI

    0 Listeners

    The Food Tech News Show by Michael Wolf

    The Food Tech News Show

    4 Listeners

    The Reimagining Restaurants Podcast by Michael Wolf

    The Reimagining Restaurants Podcast

    0 Listeners

    Everything But The Carbon Sink by Eva Goulbourne

    Everything But The Carbon Sink

    6 Listeners

    Food Truths by Eric Schulze

    Food Truths

    7 Listeners

    Soul to Table by Ryan Lacy

    Soul to Table

    0 Listeners

    Watch What You Eat by Carolyn O'Neil

    Watch What You Eat

    7 Listeners

    The Tomorrow Today Show by Mike Lee

    The Tomorrow Today Show

    3 Listeners

    Women Innovators in Food and Farming by Amy Wu

    Women Innovators in Food and Farming

    0 Listeners