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16 HARTFORDBUSINESS.COM | APRIL 29, 2024 Real impacts Christopher Allen is the CEO of Avon-based iCleanse, a maker of chemical-free device disinfectant systems. ICleanse units, which use UV-C light that kills 99.9% of pathogens, are used to mainly disinfect phones and tablets. The serial entrepreneur bought the company in 2020, and quickly looked for ways to diversify its revenue streams. The answer, Allen decided, was to incorporate a digital advertising component. The concept is similar to the video news and advertising clips that entertain motorists while they fuel their cars. Much like the driver monitoring refueling, the phone owner isn't going to walk away while the iCleanse works its magic — Allen recognized that captive consumer has value. Allen's company now generates revenue from advertisers — including restaurants, real estate agents, plumbers and others — whose content is displayed on a screen during 15-second disinfecting cycles. "We are the only advertising platform that takes the phone away from the person looking at the ad, so they don't have a secondary screen to look at, which is usually the high distraction point," Allen said. Allen said he is currently pitching TikTok to display targeted, family friendly content on his iCleanse screens. That opportunity could evaporate with a federal ban. ICleanse devices can be found in locations like Hartford's XL Center, the Connecticut Science Center, Bradley International Airport, and at grocery stores and restaurants. Allen said iCleanse has installed 160 devices over the past year, has contracts to install 250 more, and is in negotiation for another 2,000. The installation costs host sites nothing, and they receive a small portion of ad revenue. Allen said he understands privacy concerns, but believes federal lawmakers will be "hard-pressed," and perhaps ill-advised, to enact a TikTok ban. "It would hurt a number of busi- nesses," Allen said. "There are a lot of influencers that make a good deal of income, some of them millions of dollars, off this platform. As long as they are declaring it, it generates tax revenue for the federal government as well." An iCleanse system displays ads on a screen during 15-second disinfecting cycles. Advertisements have become a key revenue source for the Avon-based company, which is negotiating a deal with TikTok. PHOTO | CONTRIBUTED CONSTRUCTION MANAGEMENT GENERAL CONTRACTING DESIGN / BUILD Education · Healthcare · Commercial · Food Service Hospitality · Manufacturing · Municipal · Retail milestonecsllc.com 442 Forbes Avenue New Haven, Connecticut 06512 203-691-6876 Rock solid, every step of the way.. Chris Allen