10105191AI-powered Nail Art StudioClosedCollaborative R&DInnovate UK**Dreaming of a Better Future** My parents fled Vietnam as Boat People in the 1980s, with my mother newly pregnant with me, my father dreamt of a better future for his family. He bought an old boat with all the money they had and set sail. After many months at sea, my parents eventually sought refuge in Hong Kong and were placed in a detention centre, where I was born. We were accepted in to the UK as refugees and my parents could see the potential of applying their knowledge and skills to their new world in the UK. After working in manual jobs for many years my father developed a nail supplies business and my mother opened one of the first New York style nail bars in Hackney, London. I've been involved in Vietnamese nail art my whole life. **Dream Nails** I opened my first nail salon -- Dream Nails -- in 2006 and have since established a good "bricks and mortar" business with four locations across London, serving 25,000 customers and another opening next year. I've been closely following advancements in AI and in April I recruited an engineering team to grow my business into a technology-focused company. Like my parents before me, I could see the huge potential in applying my skills and knowledge in the new world that is emerging in the wake of massive AI progress. **AI in the Nail Industry** My company has since established a starting point for AI in the industry -- a WhatsApp/Web assistant to answer questions about nail art. It has already answered many thousands of questions and had a huge impact on my staff efficiency and productivity. This project extends that work, harnessing AI to design nail art, quote for nail art and assist customers with questions and appointments -- with the aim of providing this software to salons worldwide. **Nail Industry** Women dominate the nail industry, making up 98% of customers, 93% of technicians and 84% of managers (Source: "Future in Beauty") but like most sectors, the software that serves us is designed and owned by men: * MindBody (two male founders) * Fresha (three male founders) * Phorest (male founder) * Treatwell (two male founders) They target the broader beauty and wellness industries, not nails specifically. I hope to satisfy a niche in the market -- addressing the needs of the nail industry; and the gender imbalance! **_Thanh Vu, Dream Nails_**