Those who have ever been in a large stadium know that the cell service and WiFi located inside are poor quality at best.  Concert-goers and sports fans all struggle with lack of connectivity, and stadium owners want to engage those in attendance as much as possible.  Jameson Rader sought to solve this problem.  His solution, data-over-audio transmission, led to his founding of CUE audio.

Solution

How does one transmit data without WiFi or cell service?  CUE audio uses high-frequency, ultrasonic audio to connect tens of thousands of fans in a stadium.  The sound waves are low-pitched enough to be ascertained by electronic devices, such as phones, but too high-pitched to be detected by the human ear.  The name of the company is derived from the information encoded in the sound waves known as “cues”.  The best part about this technology, however, lies in the fact that an arena can use existing audio hardware.  This greatly lowers the adoption cost for venue owners.  CUE Audio technology allows fans to engage in light shows, group selfies, and trivia games.  They can also get coupons and receive push notifications.

Education

To understand how Rader was able to create such a technologically-innovative brand, one can look to his proficient performance during his education.  At age 16, he enrolled in Northwestern University.  Three years later, Rader graduated Magna Cum Laude with a English and Economics double-major.  After Northwesterm, he studied at UCLA Anderson School of Management but dropped out to focus on CUE Audio after receiving $3 million in funding from the Texas Rangers.  Finally, in October 2017, 26-year-old Jameson Rader founded CUE Audio.

CUE Audio Today

Today, CUE Audio is used at over 800 live events annually.  CUE has synced crowds up to 120,000 in NFL stadiums, NCAA arenas, and other venues across the country.  Rader has very optimistic plans for his company’s future, as its growth over the past three years has been very promising.  Later down the line, it’s possible that CUE Audio will become a staple for fan engagement in stadiums and arenas across the country.