Caffeine Spray, Brought to You by Peter Thiel’s College Dropout Challenge
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Re: Caffeine Spray, Brought to You by Peter Thiel’s College Dropout Challenge
#2This is interesting because it's an end-run around the FDA's current regulations on caffeine intake. Reminds me of when Five-hour Energy claimed they weren't an energy drink but an energy "shot" and shouldn't be held to the same regulations.
Re: Caffeine Spray, Brought to You by Peter Thiel’s College Dropout Challenge
#3>The big idea is to make caffeine palatable to people who get the jitters from coffee and energy drinks. Four sprays, the recommended dose, has less caffeine than a cup of coffee, Yu says.
I guess they've never heard of tea?
Re: Caffeine Spray, Brought to You by Peter Thiel’s College Dropout Challenge
#4>The big idea is to make caffeine palatable to people who get the jitters from coffee and energy drinks. Four sprays, the recommended dose, has less caffeine than a cup of coffee, Yu says. I guess they've never heard of tea?
Tea isn't everyone's cup of .... nevermind
Re: Caffeine Spray, Brought to You by Peter Thiel’s College Dropout Challenge
#5> "The world's toughest problems aren't going to solve themselves!"
What problem does this solve? Sleep deprivation for people who don't drink soda, tea or coffee?
Re: Caffeine Spray, Brought to You by Peter Thiel’s College Dropout Challenge
#6For me, it's really easy to dismiss the product as snakeoil when I hear something like Homeopathic energy being used to promote the product.
Re: Caffeine Spray, Brought to You by Peter Thiel’s College Dropout Challenge
#7This is sure to be successful. The Indiegogo campaign already went over its limit, with 41 days left to go. Kudo's to young Ben Yu.
I can't help but be reminded of the Caffeine Patch scene from Meet the Robinsons, though.
Mr. Willerstein: Dr. Krunklehorn, I know you're very busy at Inventco Labs. And we're just so happy to have you as a judge.
Lucille Krunklehorn: It's my pleasure, Mr. Willerstein. Hey, you never know, one of your students may invent the next integrated circuit, or microprocessor, or integrated circuit. Oh wait, I said that already. Well, I just don't get out of the lab very much. Is that a bowtie? I like bowties. I haven't slept in eight days!
Mr. Willerstein: Uh, well then, can I get you a cot or something?
Lucille Krunklehorn: Nope, I have the caffeine patch. It's my invention. Each patch is the equivalent of 12 cups of coffee. You can stay up for days with no side effects. AHHH!!! Sorry.
Re: Caffeine Spray, Brought to You by Peter Thiel’s College Dropout Challenge
#8This is interesting because it's an end-run around the FDA's current regulations on caffeine intake. Reminds me of when Five-hour Energy claimed they weren't an energy drink but an energy "shot" and shouldn't be held to the same regulations.
It's completely uninteresting because it's an end-run around the FDA's regulations on caffeine. Let's just brainstorm all the ways to ingest caffeine, eliminate the ones the FDA has explicit regulatory power over, then target what remains. Unsurprisingly, the FDA will start to take notice if you're obviously trying to sidestep them, and then they'll legislate you out of existence.
Frankly this is really disappointing to me, it seems like Thiel is supporting people who support his libertarian views more than actual visionaries. There are lots of people who would be well served by this program, and this guy doesn't really fit the bill in my opinion. It may as well be the 'Peter Thiel drop out of school to create trouble for regulatory agencies I don't agree with' scholarship.
Re: Caffeine Spray, Brought to You by Peter Thiel’s College Dropout Challenge
#9It sounds like the main benefits from the spray as opposed to coffee / tea are: 1) Cost 2) Convenience.
The spray will cost about $0.38 per dose.
The competition isn't coffee or tea but caffeine pills, which are cheaper and about as convenient. It looks like you can get 120 100 mg pills on Amazon for $5, or $0.04 per dose. I don't see the benefit of a spray as opposed to pills.
Re: Caffeine Spray, Brought to You by Peter Thiel’s College Dropout Challenge
#10For me, it's really easy to dismiss the product as snakeoil when I hear something like Homeopathic energy being used to promote the product.
You pretty much have to embrace the Homeopathic community in order to stay off the radar of the FDA.
"Nothing to see here, just more snake oil!"