SunsetWx Brings Sunset Forecasts to National Audience via The Weather Channel

By blending complex meteorological data, 2016 Happy Valley Launchbox grad SunsetWx is providing daily sunrise and sunset quality forecasts, something that has never been available to consumers until now.

“Particularly today, in the era of smartphones, there are numerous sources for weather forecasts and information; but SunsetWx is the only meteorologically-driven source for sunrise and sunset quality forecasts,” explains Ben Reppert, chief financial officer of the startup. “Our team combined a passion for photography, a distinguished meteorology education, and knowledge of computer science to create a first-of-its-kind forecasting tool that can easily be used by everyone, everywhere.”

Ben graduated from Penn State in 2015 with a B.S. in Meteorology. Fellow team members include Jacob DeFlitch (CEO and 2015 Penn State alum, B.S. Meteorology), Steve Hallett (CTO and Penn State senior), and Justin Lowery (CIO and student at the Art Institute of Charlotte).

The idea for the technology originally stemmed from Jacob’s experience as a photographer during his undergraduate years.

“My main focus was life in Happy Valley, specifically the architecture and landmarks across campus,” he explains. “I did my best to include the aspect of weather into my photos, especially sunrises and sunsets, given my background studying meteorology. But often I would misjudge how colorful twilight would be, which led to some [disappointing and unproductive] trips across campus. I had the idea in the back of my mind as an undergraduate, but did not pursue it until after graduation when I returned to State College as a meteorologist.”

The methodology for SunsetWx’s forecasts accounts for humidity, pressure changes and clouds at various levels of the atmosphere. The presence of wispy, upper-level clouds and/or moisture high in the sky indicate a vivid sunset; thick low-level clouds, precipitation around the time of the sunset and/or lower-level moisture suggest poor sunset quality.

SunsetWx recently gained national exposure by securing a partnership with The Weather Channel, which features its daily forecasts on various programs.

According to the four-member team, the road hasn’t been easy and they still see many obstacles ahead; but they credit their Launchbox experience with laying the groundwork to help them persevere.

“The Launchbox accelerator program was a tremendous asset and learning tool,” Ben says. “After going public with our product, we were a team of three meteorologists and one computer programmer, but certainly weren’t business-savvy. Launchbox not only provided tools for learning how to grow a successful business, but also motivated us to constantly improve our operations and our team.”

“[The instructors] constantly reminded the teams that it was okay to not always have the right answers, but that if you keep going, putting in a strong effort and asking questions, things would fall into place,”

Now that the company’s consumer base is growing, it’s facing a common startup challenge: how much time to commit while the team is still either working full-time or attending school.

“In the short term, we will be releasing a mobile application for smart phones,” Ben reveals. “Our users have shown that there is a demand for the app and push notifications to send location-specific alerts about vivid sunsets.”

Longer term goals, he says, include generating awareness and publicity and continuing to explore more useful applications for its data.

“We foresee the opportunity for our product to be beneficial in industries beyond just meteorology and photography, and that is something we will continue to explore,” Ben says.

Reflecting on the maturation of the company, Jacob advises other aspiring entrepreneurs to take a leap of faith.

“The opportunities are endless, and it's important to put your ideas into action,” he says. “It’s also vital to continue pushing forward despite obstacles or difficult [phases]. In the end, it'll be worth it.”