Shipping is one of the 21st Century’s most important industries, and start-up ColdWhere is imbuing new transparency to the transportation of climate-sensitive goods and materials.
ColdWhere’s recently launched sibling, ConnectWhere, provides services related to IoT (Internet of Things) and machine-to-machine communication, especially geared toward aviation.
ConnectWhere and ColdWhere CEO and founder Steve Goldmann will present at 1 Million Cups Fargo on Wednesday, July 10.
Goldmann describes ConnectWhere as a “GoGo for private aviation,” referring to a common product used to allow for wi-fi connectivity on commercial airplanes. This type of wi-fi is generally beyond the price range of private or hobbyist pilots; ConnectWhere helps fill the gap with applications geared toward smaller-scale aviation. These pilots need conventional wi-fi connectivity less than they need access to in-flight weather updates and other practical functions in their smaller planes.
“There’s a huge safety factor there,” Goldmann said.
(Of course, if the kids are in the backseat of the plane, ConnectWhere also means they can watch Netflix.)
An air force combat veteran, Goldmann specialized in communications and technology during his time in the military and draws on that experience with ColdWhere and ConnectWhere.
“I’m a nerd by trade,” Goldmann said.
After leaving the air force, Goldmann dealt with post-traumatic stress disorder and faced challenges adjusting back to life at home. Eventually he found his way to the Fargo VA and to the St. Cloud PTSD program, which helped him get back on his feet.
“Fargo had a huge impact on me being able to put my life back together,” Goldmann said.
ColdWhere and ConnectWhere grew in part out of Goldmann finding ways to apply his air force-derived skills to issues common to civilian life.
“We need more transparency in our transportation system,” Goldmann said.
That need led to the development of ColdWhere, which takes the form of both a device and a platform to monitor goods-in-transit that require specific environmental conditions. The obvious application is produce shipment, but the technology has many other potential uses as well, just as shipping vaccines. ColdWhere can help make sure a bad load of product doesn’t reach consumers. It could also be useful in homes, residents of colder climates to know when their pipes are getting close to freezing.
ConnectWhere takes more direct inspiration from Goldmann’s time flying in the air force and also plays to North Dakota’s reputation as a hub for the aviation and defense industries. The company’s services encompass private LTE, security, device certification, and low cost satellite communication. These address an issue common to aviation that Goldmann noticed in the military.
“I realized I would dive down to unsafe altitudes in order to get cell reception,” Goldmann said.
ColdWhere launched a bit more than a year ago, while ConnectWhere has been available for a few weeks.
For now, ConnectWhere is a dba of ColdWhere. Eventually, Goldmann says he hopes to branch further into products geared toward the defense industry.
For more information on ColdWhere, visit coldwhere.com. 1 Million Cups Fargo takes place each Wednesday from 9:15-10:15 a.m. at The Stage at Island Park.
