In 2019, I co-founded MIGHTY —originally known as OMNY— a Portugal-based startup dedicated to improving workplace snacking through technology, with a focus on health. Partnering with a colleague, our goal was to create an innovative vending solution that would bring healthy food options to the workplace with an enhanced user experience.

Over the course of a year, I designed a smart kiosk while simultaneously developing a functional app that allowed users to browse products, make payments, and unlock kiosks to retrieve their selections. We iterated through multiple hardware prototypes and conducted pilot deployments across 12 locations. This process validated both our product and our partnership dynamics, characterized by clear communication, mutual accountability, and well-defined roles.

A significant achievement was the development of a cost-effective hardware solution. Our smart kiosks were engineered to be significantly more affordable than traditional vending machines, enabling rapid scalability with minimal financial resources. Deployment costs were reduced approximately 20 times when compared to conventional setups. This financial efficiency, coupled with our user-centric software and inventory management systems, served to set us apart.

In January 2021, MIGHTY successfully secured seed funding, accelerating our expansion. By 2022, our solution was operational in dozens of locations across Lisbon, showcasing both its scalability and market demand.

Key to MIGHTY’s success was our in-house development of both hardware and software. As the sole technical co-founder, I led and oversaw the development of our entire technological ecosystem, with the support of a small but dedicated team of employees and technical advisors.

On the hardware front, I developed a hardware prototype that integrated a comprehensive set of functionalities, such as a locking mechanism, sensor and camera systems, mobile internet connectivity, and sound features. Throughout its evolution, we experimented with various technologies to optimize user experience, including user-driven product selection, AI-driven product recognition, and RFID systems. The firmware was designed to support diagnostics, over-the-air updates, and seamless communications with our backend through a message broker.

Additionally, I architected and implemented both the frontend and backend of our user application. This included the integration of payment gateways and the implementation of passwordless authentication. I also managed server infrastructure and deployments using containerized solutions for scalability and reliability.

My journey at MIGHTY concluded in 2022, having played a pivotal role in the company’s growth and its mission to redefine workplace vending with a focus on health through technology.