Polk State graduate expands product offering with properties such as NFL, Star Wars, and Marvel
Over the last seven years, Polk State College graduate Clay Canning has watched his cellphone screen protector design company Screen Skinz go from startup to major player in the technology industry.
A Summer 2021 Semester graduate with his Bachelor of Applied Science in Supervision and Management, Canning’s company was featured in the Tampa Bay Business Journal and TechCrunch last week after raising $1.5 million from multiple venture funds.
“Screen Skinz is licensed within the NFL, MLB, NBA, NHL, MLS, WNBA, NCAA, Marvel, LucasFilm and WWE. Its distribution partner is sports retailing firm Fanatics,” an excerpt from the Tampa Bay Business Journal reads. “The company is now pushing profitability and seeking to bring in seven figures of revenue in 2024.”
At the time of his graduation from Polk State, Canning was licensed within the NBA, MLB, NCAA, and NHL with the expectation for the NFL to be added later that year. The recent additions of Marvel and LucasFilm, properties of The Walt Disney Company, will allow his company to reach new audiences.
“Looking at the landscape, Disney is the No. 1 licensing partner worldwide,” Canning said. “This will allow us to broaden our market worldwide.”
What makes Screen Skinz particularly innovative is that the image is visible when the screen is off, but seemingly disappears when the screen is on, ensuring that the user’s view is not obstructed. Since its inception, Screen Skinz has sold tens of thousands of protectors.
“I have a lot of fun with what I do,” Canning explained. “It doesn’t feel like work. I wake up and I look forward to the day.”
Canning originally arrived at Polk State as a dual enrollment student from George Jenkins High School. He chose Polk State for its affordability and flexibility.
“I looked at other universities,” he recalled. “During COVID(-19) was a unique time to be going to college. The fast track option I was able to do allowed me to get my degree faster. The schedule allowed me to do my schoolwork on my time and balance both things.”
At Screen Skinz, Canning and co-founder RaShaun Brown have built a team of about 10 members. Since its inception in 2017, Screen Skinz has expanded its network, which has allowed the startup to broaden its base and increase its visibility. Screen Skinz was previously featured in Houston Business Journal and at DivInc, a sports tech accelerator hosted by Verizon.
“We’ve built a team of very accomplished people,” Canning noted. “DivInc was a big opportunity for us.”
Although Screen Skinz is now based in Houston, Canning still calls Lakeland his home. It’s also where a large portion of the protectors are made. Many of the skills and principles learned during his time at Polk State remain in practice for Canning today.
“Professor Gordon Kettle in economics, micro and macro – I use his principles every day when it comes to pricing models,” Canning added. “He’s always the person I think of.”
In addition to the business’ growth, Canning has also expanded his product line. Through Screen Skinz’s partnership with Keyscaper, there are multiple logos available for some teams and covers can be customized to add purchaser’s names, nicknames, phrases, or any other desired text. Screen Skinz is also in the process of expanding to tablets.
“I get a lot of satisfaction from accomplishing my goals,” Canning said. “I have a lot of goals.”