Valo
A miniature rechargeable flashlight with a novel magnetic mounting system.
Year
Client
2016 - 2019
Internal Project
Brief
Design and launch a small every-day-carry light which offers more versatility than a headtorch. To stand out in a crowded market, the solution needed:
Small pocket-sized form
Multipurpose mounting solution
Various light modes and intensities
A rechargeable battery and standard charging port
To function reliably in harsh outdoor conditions
Outcome
Conceived, engineered, and marketed a final working solution. Our first variation was launched in Kickstarter in early 2017, earning £16k+ in investment.
An improved second version was developed in 2019 through to manufacture ready prototypes.
Key Design Features
50 Lumin light source with good colour rendering
Multiple white and red light modes
Novel magnetic mounting system
USB-C charged LiPol Battery
IP68 water resistant
Disrupting a Crowded Market with Innovative Thinking
Countless headtorches and flashlights already exist, but we knew we could deliver something unique. Even within seemingly saturated markets we believe there is often opportunities to deliver novel features and innovative thinking to provide consumers value and build sustainable businesses.
We conceived an innovative magnetic solution to open up limitless options for holding, mounting, and using the flashlight. Where existing products are head mounted or held in the hand, we were able to stand out against established competition by offering a product that can be clipped to clothes, wrapped around handlebars, or fixed to fridges.
Launching a Product with Crowdfunding.
Like many startups we chose to fund the initial launch of Valo through Kickstarter. Crowdfunding offers businesses like ours the opportunity to reduce the risk of launch by obtaining market feedback and validation before committing to mass manufacture. Establishing production also requires significant capitol investment, which can be obtained through pre-sale of the product, rather than seeking these finances through loans or equity investment.
We produced all media and marketing materials to communicate and sell through a Kickstarter campaign. This included shooting a full product descriptor video. We raised £16,020 from 403 backers. Countless lessons were taken from this process which we now pass on to our clients to help them improve their chances of a successful campaign
Inhouse Prototyping and Testing
Valo went through several iterations before being ready for launch. We tested and verified all of these steps through prototyping. Using our inhouse workshop and 3D printing facilities, we were able to quickly fabricate working models to help us review form and test functions.
Before launch we took our pre-production prototypes to a laboratory to obtain a detailed assessment of the light output. Testing the torch not only provided us with specific details for marketing, but also helped to validate design choices before committing them to manufacture. Many projects can benefit from detailed testing to confirm strength, water resistance, longevity and much more.
