When a user buys a Helium Hotspot ($495), they become like a miniature cell tower in a peer-to-peer wireless internet network that connects small, low-power devices like pet collars and scooter trackers from miles away through Helium’s “LongFi” protocol. The logic is that Hotspot owners would be compensated for the use of their data through a specialized blockchain currency, creating a self-sustaining wireless ecosystem. —Alejandro de la Garza

Buy now: Helium Hotspot