Jawbone: The Rise and Fall of the First Wearable Technology Company

One of the most innovative companies of the mid-2000s, Jawbone pioneered wearable technology with UP, the first wrist-worn fitness tracker. And it revolutionized sound with the first smart bluetooth headset and then with Jambox, the first smart wireless speaker. But product malfunctions, weak gross margins, inflated valuations and financing troubles would reverse Jawbone’s meteoric rise. In one of the most dramatic turns in Silicon Valley history, the company went from a nearly $4 billion valuation to liquidation. This rich cautionary tale holds valuable lessons for founders today. In a new era of capital constraints, Jawbone’s story is more relevant now than ever. Co-founders Hosain Rahman and Alex Asseily, and Chief Creative Officer Yves Behar, share what they learned along the way.
Hosain Rahman
Hosain Rahman is the former co-founder and CEO of Jawbone. In 2017, he founded all.health, where he serves as the company’s CEO today.
Alex Asseily
Alex Asseily is a former co-founder of Jawbone. Since Jawbone, he has co-founded two companies--Zulu Group and Elvie--while investing in and advising technology startups.
Yves Behar
Yves Behar is an internationally celebrated designer and the founder of Fuseproject, an industrial design and brand design firm. He served as Chief Creative Officer at Jawbone.

[@jkidding386]

Their Noise-Assassin technology is so superior, I think there is no other brands selling such technology today

[@celestialroad]

19:13 seriously imagine claiming that it wasn't a standard to thoroughly test a product before it goes to market...