BEND, Ore. — Lora DiCarlo announced at SXSW 2019 that the state of Oregon has awarded a $99,637 Business Oregon Enhanced Phase 0 Grant for the commercialization of Osé, a vibe that’s designed for hands-free blended orgasms.
Using advanced micro-robotics Osé is said to mimic the sensations of a human mouth, tongue, and fingers. According to the company, it’s the first time that any state government has recognized sex tech in such a way.
Lora DiCarlo recently received international attention for its innovative technology when the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas awarded the company an Innovation Award in robotics, but then withdrew the award simply because the product was sexual in nature, notwithstanding that it had been developed in conjunction with a leading university robotics lab at Oregon State University. Lora DiCarlo's product development and disruptive presence at CES firmly landed the company in the spotlight on the topic of women's sexual health and wellness.
"The program we used fills a critical capital gap for Oregon startups, working with companies to develop and launch new technologies without diluting equity," said Nathan Buehler, communications and marketing manager at Business Oregon. "Lora DiCarlo exhibited some really innovative engineering, solid research, and market potential, The company's strong program application and its R&D history with Oregon State University signal Lora DiCarlo has a great runway in front of them. We're happy to work with this Oregon startup, which is already driving towards commercialization and creating jobs in Oregon."
Lora DiCarlo says that it hopes to end the double standard whereby advertising men's sexual health products, such as erectile dysfunction drugs, have been allowed, but women's sexual health products are stigmatized.
"The state of Oregon's recognition is significant because it acknowledges the mainstream acceptance of sexual pleasure devices and the economic potential of female entrepreneurs, like myself," said Lora Haddock, founder and CEO at Lora DiCarlo. "Pair that with the opportunity to help amplify us in our mission to bring the topic of female sexual health and wellness to the masses. The Oregon Innovation fund grant will help us as we commercialize Osé, while also generating more jobs in Oregon. We are beyond excited to receive this year's grant."
