An Interview With Contort’s Emad Yahia

Contort is USB-eautiful! As it gets ready to ship, we catch up with the man behind the product, ideator Emad Yahia.

1. Tell us a little bit about yourself.

I like poetry, and I watch and play soccer as much as I can. I am originally from Sudan, so soccer is big there. We used to play it in the street “bare footed” all the time. I came to America ten years ago to study and received my MS in Computer Science from the Polytechnic University of New York (now the Polytechnic Institute of NYU). I remember I took this class about emerging technology and was introduced to the patenting process. The professor asked us to come up with a new idea or design for a new product and mine was about a smart fridge that scanned the tags of all the food you purchased and created a shopping list based on that. It was a lot of fun.

2. When did you join Quirky?

I joined Quirky last year, a couple of weeks before I introduced the idea of Contort to the community.

3. How did you find out about us?

I did a Google search for companies that help inventors to bring new products to life and Quirky was in the search results, so I checked it out. I was really excited to learn about you guys, and I felt that this is what I was looking for all along. Many companies promise to help you with your idea, but they deliver very little or nothing at all. I had an experience with another company but it was horrible and it actually cost me money before I realized what a scam it was. It was a relief to find an honest and straight forward startup willing to take the risk and spend this type of time and money to bring something different to consumers.

4. Had you tried to make this thing on your own already?

I had not tried other companies. I first introduced it to Quirky, and the community took it from there. I did some market research and worked on my drawings and other things but had not tried to manufacture the product on my own.

5. What do you think of the final product?

The final product is very unique, and I am confident that it will sell well. I do not see anything like it in the market and it certainly has character and personality. I hope this evolves into a line of products. When I compare it to the original design, I see a big difference. But that’s normal and what should naturally happen with a process like this: the crowd decides what they would like to buy. It’s like going to a restaurant and making your own food.

6. In your opinion, what is the most innovative product ever invented?

I think the most innovative product ever invented is the computer mouse. The design is so good it has not essentially changed for more than 40 years! That is impressive.

7. What inspires you?

I get inspired by simple people who do not have much, but they still smile and work hard.

8. What are some of your quirks?

I can not swim. I tried forever but just cannot do it. It is really embarrassing at times. Might be because sharks freak me out.

9. What’s your favorite cereal? Deli meat?

I love pastrami, olives, and everything that is grilled. Can you grill cereal? Coz if you can, I will eat any brand.

10. Any parting words?

I have an idea that I will introduce to the community soon, and I hope it holds the same appeal. I am crossing my fingers.