Boston, October 15, 2025
News Summary
Boston-based startup Reekon Tools has revolutionized the traditional retractable tape measure by integrating digital memory, Bluetooth connectivity, and laser-guided features. With over 100,000 units sold in five years, their tape measures are designed to minimize errors in construction, allowing users to accurately measure once and cut once. The Utility and Tomahawk models are now available at The Home Depot, catering to both professional and industrial users. The company’s innovative products have drawn attention from notable clients, including SpaceX and Schneider Electric.
Boston
Reekon Tools is a Boston-based startup that has modernized the traditional retractable tape measure, a technology over 200 years old. The company has introduced tape measures with digital memory, Bluetooth connectivity and laser-guided alignment to reduce measurement errors on job sites, and it has sold over 100,000 units since launching five years ago.
What happened
The new tape measures include digital memory, Bluetooth connectivity, and a laser for precise alignment. Reekon’s devices help ensure wood or metal is cut to the correct length by relaying measurements to other Reekon devices. Each average construction worker uses their tape measure over 50 times a day; Reekon’s tools aim to minimize measurement errors. The Reekon products allow users to “measure once and cut once.”
Prices for Reekon’s gadgets can reach up to $260. The company has sold over 100,000 units since launching five years ago, and clients include high-profile companies such as SpaceX, Steelcase, and Schneider Electric.
Product details and features
The Utility tape measure retails for $120, while the Tomahawk model costs $260; both show measurements on a digital screen and store data in memory. The Tomahawk model includes a side-mounted screen for multiple measurements and a green laser for alignment. Both models can transmit measurements to an app on tablets or smartphones.
Reekon’s original product, the Caliber, is designed to attach to saws and provides accurate measurements to 1/32nd of an inch. The Caliber uses a spring-loaded rubber wheel to measure lengths of material placed underneath it.
Reekon is working on innovating further with a new hybrid tape measure that combines a 16-foot steel tape with a laser for measuring up to 165 feet and a gyroscopic level. The hybrid tape measure has already raised $316,000 through pre-orders on Kickstarter.
Sales, distribution and users
Reekon’s tools are currently available at The Home Depot, with most customers being professional users. Users like Josh Nieves from Miller Electric regard these tools as invaluable, especially for training new apprentices in the field. Clients include SpaceX, Steelcase, and Schneider Electric, reflecting both construction and industrial customers.
Founding, background and funding
Co-founder Christian Reed has a background as a US Army Reserve engineer and a degree in mechanical engineering from MIT. Reed previously worked at a 3D printing company, Formlabs, before starting Reekon with colleague Kostas Oikonomopoulos in 2020.
Reekon launched through Kickstarter, raising $1.2 million for their first product, a digital guide for miter saws, exceeding their initial goal of $10,000. The company has since garnered over $4.7 million in total through Kickstarter fundraising.
Why it matters
Reed emphasizes the need for innovation in construction, noting productivity is stagnant due to measurement errors. Traditional measurement methods involve manual measuring and writing down data, which can lead to mistakes. Reekon’s tools are designed to cut down on those manual steps by storing measurements, transmitting them electronically, and providing alignment aids so materials are cut correctly the first time.
Additional context
Development at Reekon has followed a pattern of crowdfunding-backed product launches and continued iteration. The company has moved from an attachment for saws (the Caliber) to handheld electronic tapes and is now combining tape and laser technology in a hybrid device aimed at extending range and functionality for professional users.
FAQ
Q: What is Reekon Tools?
A: Reekon Tools is a Boston-based startup that has modernized the traditional retractable tape measure, a technology over 200 years old.
Q: What features do the new tape measures include?
A: The new tape measures include digital memory, Bluetooth connectivity, and a laser for precise alignment.
Q: How do Reekon devices help on job sites?
A: Reekon’s devices help ensure wood or metal is cut to the correct length by relaying measurements to other Reekon devices.
Q: How often do workers use tape measures and what is the intended benefit?
A: Each average construction worker uses their tape measure over 50 times a day; Reekon’s tools aim to minimize measurement errors.
Q: What is the company’s sales track record?
A: The company has sold over 100,000 units since launching five years ago.
Q: What are typical prices for Reekon products?
A: Prices for Reekon’s gadgets can reach up to $260.
Q: What is the price and capability difference between models?
A: The Utility tape measure retails for $120, while the Tomahawk model costs $260; both show measurements on a digital screen and store data in memory.
Q: What is the Caliber?
A: Reekon’s original product, the Caliber, is designed to attach to saws and provides accurate measurements to 1/32nd of an inch.
Q: How does the Caliber measure material?
A: The Caliber uses a spring-loaded rubber wheel to measure lengths of material placed underneath it.
Q: Where can customers buy Reekon tools?
A: Reekon’s tools are currently available at The Home Depot, with most customers being professional users.
Q: How was Reekon funded initially?
A: Reekon launched through Kickstarter, raising $1.2 million for their first product, a digital guide for miter saws, exceeding their initial goal of $10,000.
Q: How much total Kickstarter funding has Reekon received?
A: The company has since garnered over $4.7 million in total through Kickstarter fundraising.
Q: Who founded Reekon and what is their background?
A: Co-founder Christian Reed has a background as a US Army Reserve engineer and a degree in mechanical engineering from MIT. Reed previously worked at a 3D printing company, Formlabs, before starting Reekon with colleague Kostas Oikonomopoulos in 2020.
Q: What future product is Reekon developing?
A: Reekon is working on innovating further with a new hybrid tape measure that combines a 16-foot steel tape with a laser for measuring up to 165 feet and a gyroscopic level. The hybrid tape measure has already raised $316,000 through pre-orders on Kickstarter.
Q: Which companies use Reekon products?
A: Clients include high-profile companies such as SpaceX, Steelcase, and Schneider Electric.
Q: What problem does Reekon aim to solve in construction?
A: Reed emphasizes the need for innovation in construction, noting productivity is stagnant due to measurement errors. Traditional measurement methods involve manual measuring and writing down data, which can lead to mistakes.
Quick reference table
| Product | Price (retail) | Key features | Accuracy / Range | Availability |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Utility | $120 | Digital screen, data memory, Bluetooth | Handheld range; typical tape length | The Home Depot |
| Tomahawk | $260 | Side-mounted screen, multiple measurements, green laser, Bluetooth | Handheld range; extended alignment features | The Home Depot |
| Caliber (original) | Kickstarter / pro-market pricing | Attaches to saws, spring-loaded rubber wheel | Accurate to 1/32nd of an inch | Professional sales / crowdfunding |
| Hybrid (in development) | Pre-order (Kickstarter) | 16-foot steel tape + laser, gyroscopic level | Laser measuring up to 165 feet | Pre-orders via Kickstarter |
Deeper Dive: News & Info About This Topic
HERE Resources
Additional Resources
- Boston Globe: Reekon Digital Tape Measure Construction
- Wikipedia: Reekon Tools
- TechCrunch: Reekon Hopes High-Tech Home Improvement Tools
- Google Search: Reekon tools
- Develop 3D: Reekon Tools Tape Measure Design
- Encyclopedia Britannica: Measuring Tools
- Core77: MIT Engineers Design Power Tool Accessory
- Google News: Construction Tools
- New Atlas: M1 Caliber Sawing Measurements
- Boston Globe: Business Technology
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