# Kevin Yoo

> Kevin Yoo is the CEO and co-founder of Haptic (formerly WearWorks), a New York-based technology company building tactile-feedback navigation tools. With co-founders Keith Kirkland and Yangyang Wang, he created the Wayband - a wristband that guides users through pure vibration. In 2017, the device helped ultramarathoner Simon Wheatcroft become the first blind runner to attempt the NYC Marathon without sighted assistance. Yoo is an industrial designer by training, a Pratt Institute alum, and a Council of Korean Americans member.

- **Role:** CEO & Co-Founder at Haptic
- **Organizations:** Haptic (formerly WearWorks), Council of Korean Americans
- **Nationality:** American (Korean-American)
- **Education:** Bachelor of Industrial Design (BID), Pratt Institute
- **Known for:** Bauhaus Award, German Design Award, National Science Foundation funding

## Career timeline

- **2015** — Graduated from Pratt Institute with a BID.
- **2015** — Co-founded WearWorks with Keith Kirkland and Yangyang Wang after meeting at Pratt's Digital Arts and Humanities Research Center.
- **2017** — Helped Simon Wheatcroft attempt the NYC Marathon using only Wayband haptic guidance - the first blind runner to attempt the race without sighted assistance.
- **2023** — Raised Seed round; WearWorks rebrands as Haptic, pivots toward SDK and platform plays.
- **2024** — Joined the Council of Korean Americans.

## Achievements

- Bauhaus Award
- German Design Award
- National Science Foundation funding
- Patented Wayband and HapticNav navigation technology
- Coverage by NYT, CNN, TED, Discovery Channel, TechCrunch
- Guided the first blind runner to attempt the NYC Marathon unaided

## Latest updates

- **2024-09** — Listed as a member of the Council of Korean Americans, based in Brooklyn.
- **2023-07** — Closed Seed funding round for Haptic.

## Links

- Website: https://haptic.works
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hapticyoo/
- Twitter/X: https://twitter.com/wearworksinc
- Facebook: https://facebook.com/haptictechnology/

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Profile page: https://yespress.io/kevin-yoo
Published by YesPress — https://yespress.io
Last updated: 2026-06-30