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RIT Venture Creations startup to move downtown
RIT Venture Creations startup to move downtown
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ThermApparel, a successful Rochester Institute of Technology Venture Creations startup, will move to the historic Rochester Savings Bank building on Franklin Street next week.
ThermApparel’s fourth anniversary coincides with MS Awareness Month. The company created the first comfortable and concealable cooling vest for individuals with heat intolerance often associated with multiple sclerosis. Since starting the company, ThermApparel’s founders have realized their dream of helping thousands of people with chronic disease to take back control of their lives.
“Our mission was, and remains, to provide our customers with a state-of-the-art cooling vest that looks and feels great, and is extremely fashionable,” said Founder and CEO Kurtis Kracke. “Until we started ThermApparel, personal cooling equipment was bulky and made people self-conscious and frustrated. We wanted to develop a product that embodied and supported dignity and comfort, while also maximizing performance by aggressively mitigating heat stress.”
Officials noted that regardless of the effort, some routine activities and low-impact sports can significantly increase body temperature. In addition, sunshine is necessary to produce vitamin D and boost bone health, but the heat that accompanies it can trigger flare-ups and worsen symptoms in people with MS.
By using phase change material in its cooling packs, the UnderCool vest fits like a glove and delivers constant cooling that reduces fatigue and increases the time wearers can spend on various indoor or outdoor activities.
“The vest allows cooler blood to circulate more freely, keeping your core temperature in check – which keeps you cool and feeling good in any situation,” Kracke explained.
ThermApparel is committed to helping people mitigate heat effects, especially those living with MS and other illnesses. But the intuitively designed compression garment is helping people reduce heat intolerance in other areas as well.
“We are very excited about new applications for our technology, specifically in the active, older adult population living in retirement communities. We’ve also seen a surge in interest from people competing in more extreme sports, like auto-racing or competitive cycling where the vest’s power, performance and weight ratio create a significant advantage,” Kracke said.
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