Asteris Zacharakis
Soundpear | 3rd round
Soundpear is an enterprise that aims to transform sensory experiences through sound pairing. Recent findings of sensory science suggest that what we taste or smell can be influenced by what we hear through sensory interaction. However, examples of products that are based on the interplay between hearing and taste/smell are currently very limited worldwide. The idea behind Soundpear emerged from the research of Asteris Zacharakis on auditory perception and the extra-musical meaning conveyed by musical sounds. The team is complemented by Vasilis Paras who provides the necessary expertise in music production and sound design.
My participation at Venture Garden a few years back helped me complement my academic training with an entrepreneurial mindset offering me, along with the Hellenic Initiative, the unique opportunity to attend a one-week start-up bootcamp at MIT. The knowledge and experience that I acquired during this period have enabled me to approach my scientific interests putting emphasis on their societal impact and potential applications.
At Soundpear we aspire to introduce a new dimension at the subdomain of service industry focusing on experiences through music pairing of products and the creation of sonic logos. For example, the verbal description of wines or aromatic candles can be complemented by a short sound while a longer ‘soundtrack’ will be designed to maximise the pleasure when consumed at the same time with the product. Moreover, we aim to exploit the new business opportunities that come with the rise of virtual worlds regarding the sonic representations of tastes and aromas.