>> ... Next Generation ...

A New

on the cover

e

Of Company

Next Gen'er returns
home to launch
business.

ADAM FINKEL I SPECIAL TO THE JEWISH NEWS

Adam Leeb on the Hemingwrite

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

centered around building wooden sheds
with Detroit Habitat for Humanity, he'd
return to the city proper, not to work at
the typical Big Three job, but to create a
job of his own.
You see, over a 24-hour period
last December, Leeb received more
than $200,00 in orders for his latest
invention. The Hemingwrite, he wrote, is a
distraction-free writing tool with modern
technology. He detailed this new kind of
typewriter to Kickstarter, a site used to
crowdsource new products. Since then,
he's received nearly 1,100 backers, with
interest across America and around the
world.
Leeb and his co-founder Patrick Paul, a
software designer, are hustling to create
a "Designed in Detroit" product that
radiates simplicity yet also becomes a
great "Made in Michigan" success story.
Leeb and Paul currently work out of the
TechTown facility in Midtown, Detroit.

48

February 26 • 2015

Leeb said he is most amazed at the
global interest in his project, which offered
September 2015 pre-orders starting at
$349. An early backer from India stated
on the Hemingwrite Kickstarter page
he's terrified about pledging such a large
amount for an item yet-to-be-made, in
addition to the $60 for delivery to India.
The backer said he realizes that many
things can go wrong between now and the
September ship date. Yet, this supporter
said that he is "exceedingly excited, happy
and hopeful that this will be one of the
best buys" he has ever made.
When the pre-orders ended on
Kickstarter, more than $342,000 was
pledged to help bring this "conceptual"
item to market. In fact, interest was so
high that four backers pledged to pay
$1,450 to buy four of the Hemingwrite
items at once.
Andrew Landau, a cousin and friend,
has known Adam Leeb for his entire life.
"I've been fortunate to watch Adam's
entrepreneurial ascent firsthand. His

intellectual curiosity, creative mind
and his pursuit of perfection
are the perfect ingredients for
success," he said. "There is no
limit to the success that Adam
will have. He is a great asset to
the Detroit Jewish community,
and I feel lucky to call him my
friend."
Leeb, a graduate of Adat
Shalom Hebrew School,
hasn't had much time to
bask in the media attention,
which has included a write-
up in the Wall Street Journal
and a multi-page profile of
the company in Crain's Detroit Business.
Blogs near and far have been written
about the project, which was chosen
by Kickstarter staff to be a featured
project on the design section of the site.
He appeared on Channel 4's Flashpoint
Detroit to highlight a side of our local
economy that's too-often overlooked in
our region.
The Wall Street Journal described the
Hemingwrite as "a bare-bones device
with a single purpose: to enable writing
without being distracted by the draw of
the Internet."
The item is expected to have a battery
life that lasts for a month, an aluminum
body that weighs a mere 4 pounds, a retro
appearance with square keyboard keys,
Bluetooth-connectivity to continuously
backup all work to cloud services, and
an electronic paper screen that "reduces

eyestrain and allows for easy
reading in direct sunlight."
They expect to offer keyboard support
for a dozen languages including English,
Hebrew, Russian, German, Italian,
Portuguese, Spanish, French and Turkish.
After a busy Monday morning, Leeb
answered a few questions for the Jewish
News about his roots in the community
and his big year ahead.

Q: So, you call the greater Detroit area
home?
Leeb: I grew up in West Bloomfield,
going to public schools; my parents, Fred
and Laurie, still reside in the same West
Bloomfield residence. My sister, Jessica,
lives in Oak Park now with her three
children. I went to Camp Tamarack and
Adat Shalom growing up.

