Now, two thousand years later, vending machines have evolved to kiosks, and the Internet of Things (IoT) has become technology's holy grail.
PopCom is an automated retail technology company at the forefront of this game-changing wave. The startup produces software for intelligent vending machines and digital kiosks.
Not only are the kiosks very cool-looking; there are so many things these machines can do, from selling products, to gathering customer demographic data, to delivering targeted messaging.
With an advertising screen to deliver targeted content and a point of sale screen to complete the sales transaction, or whatever call-to-action the brand selects, PopCom kiosks attract crowds.
The kiosks also feature facial recognition, which opens the way for all kinds of exciting marketing initiatives.
"We've been building the technology for the last two years for brands and retailers who want to use our patent-pending design to create a new way to sell products and generate leads," Dickson said.
PopCom has partnered with KIOSK Information Systems, a leading U.S. manufacturer of high-quality self-service solutions. KIOSK is ISO9001:2008 certified and is compliant with American (ADA) and European Disability Access). More than 50 percent of the firm's production is custom solutions.
More than a dozen companies are evaluating the PopCom software and kiosks. Walmart invited PopCom to participate in the Walmart Pop-Up Shop at the 2018 Essence Festival in New Orleans in July.
Dickson, a Columbus native who brings more than a decade of experience as a serial entrepreneur, relocated PopCom from the East Coast to Columbus. "Central Ohio mirrors national demographics and is ideal for market testing and validation," she said.
Dickson's dream is to have a kiosk in Easton Town Center "There are so many brands that would do well in one of our kiosks in that environment," she said.
Dickson echoes what a lot of entrepreneurs and investors are saying about Columbus—that it's a great place to start a company.