SLEKE.: NCET's 2025 'Startup of the Year'

Earlier this year, SLEKE. received the "Startup of the Year" award from Nevada’s Center for Entrepreneurship and Technology (NCET). The annual NCET Tech Awards honor individuals and companies in Northern Nevada who have significantly contributed to the growth and reputation of the technology community. Nominated by the public and evaluated by a panel of industry experts, this event spotlights the most influential tech companies in Northern Nevada.

SLEKE. co-founders Austin & Brennan accepting the NCET "Startup of the Year" Award.

The average consumer checks their phone an average of 150 times a day, and around 30-50% of the population agrees that they are addicted to their phones. Although smartphones are essential for navigating modern society, we must acknowledge that we might be too detached from the real world.

At SLEKE., we are developing a smartphone that eliminates the most distracting parts of modern phones, helping people interact with the real world. This goal is backed by our brand philosophy, “Do Cool Stuff,” a phrase meant to encourage us to interact with the real world. It's a phrase that inspires us to reconnect to our passions, hobbies, and the things that make us feel truly alive. 

Our goal is to create a tool for freedom, a way to reclaim mental space and allow us to engage with all that life has to offer, from reaching out to a distant friend to catching up on that hobby you “don’t have time for.” The phone isn’t shaming screen time or how you use your phone; it’s about making time for the moments that truly make you light up. 

For the dreamers, the doers, and those who love to live.