Ecocapsule® 2022

Content

Opportunity
About company
Product
Team
The market and competition
Risks
Investment purpose
Media

Self-sustainable micro-unit Ecocapsule is known worldwide. The innovative design, flexibility of use and technology sensitively incorporated into the design with sustainability in mind have also gained the attention and interest of several celebrities. Hollywood actress Susan Sarandon, for example, has enjoyed her own Ecocapsule.

The first limited edition has already reached customers who have found a home for their Ecocapsule in often exotic locations - including Japan, Costa Rica and the Bahamas, among others. The Ecocapsule rental fleet for rent is also enjoying great interest - whether from adventure accommodation providers, hotels or summer festival organisers.

Ecocapsula is now on the threshold of a new stage and is preparing a new generation product based on the experience of the first series. In the context of changes in consumer behaviour, compounded by the pandemic, more and more people are turning towards more economical solutions, ideally in more remote locations, with a high degree of mobility and fully in line with nature and sustainable lifestyles. Ecocapsule is a comprehensive and functional product that is leading the way in an emerging market. Investors now have a unique opportunity to accompany Ecocapsule on its next journey and to satisfy the relentless customer demand for an improved and more affordable version. The goal is to develop the next generation of Ecocapsule's product, called NextGen, and prepare the company for the arrival of a strategic partner.

The uniqueness of Ecocapsule in points:

A proven product - a mobile, energy self-sufficient and intelligent micro-unit powered by solar and wind energy.
The innovative design, enabling living anywhere in the world, has won several major awards, including the prestigious New York Design Award.
A wide range of applications - also thanks to the launch of the new Ecocapsule Space and 6Pack products.
A world-famous product, also featured in Times Square in New York, Expo 2020 in Dubai, Brain Bar 2022 in Budapest, at the Pohoda and Grape festivals, or even in a commercial with James Corden and an upcoming episode of HBO's Zero Waste Chef.
Marketing with a global reach, great interest from influencers and wide media coverage, including CNN, The New York Times, Wired or NBC News.
Customers from all over the world: USA, Japan, Kazakhstan, Costa Rica, Bahamas, Switzerland and more.

Opportunity

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About company

Ecocapsule is a company that follows a philosophy of sustainability. It offers a medium-term accommodation option that takes full advantage of the latest technological advances. It enables people to live in harmony with nature while minimizing negative impacts on the environment.

The story of Ecocapsule began in 2009 when Nice Architects entered the Andes Sprout Society Idea Competition to design a small housing unit for an artist. The huge amount of enquiries convinced the founders, Soňa Pohlová, Tomáš Žáček and their team to develop the project further.

In 2017, the company received an investment from Crowdberry investors in the amount of EUR 750 thousand and in 2018 another EUR 2 million to complete and operationalize this complex product. In the same year, the first limited edition Ecocapsule was launched.

In 2021, the company received an investment from the CB Growth ONE investment fund, managed by CB Investment Management, to launch the rental fleet. Since then, Ecocapsule has been placed in a number of exciting locations around the world.

Product

ECOCAPSULE® represents a vision of self-sustainable living - it is a micro-unit that combines minimalist design with comprehensive functionality and perfect use of the 6.3 m2 of interior space that comfortably fits two. It gives the opportunity to enjoy life, work and freedom in any location.

Ecocapsule does not need to be connected to any utilities (electricity, gas, water, etc.) and leaves no ecological footprint. Each unit is powered by a low-noise wind turbine with a maximum power output of 750W during the day and night. The telescopic pole on which the turbine is placed can be easily folded for smooth transportation. It is complemented by high-efficiency solar cells to maximize solar power generation with an installed capacity of 880W. The battery capacity is 9.6 kWh.

Ecocapsule is an intelligent micro-unit controlled by a mobile app. Its unique shape is adapted to withstand the harsh natural conditions in cold and tropical climates. It also makes efficient use of the interior space, while the exterior is optimized for rainwater collection. This is collected from the surface of the capsule into a water tank and filtered for the user's convenience. The capsule weighs 2 000 kg when empty and 2 220 kg with full water tanks.

The device stands on four hydraulic extendable legs, which allow convenient handling and levelling. Thermal comfort is ensured by a high-efficiency heating, cooling and ventilation unit with residual heat recovery function.

MOBILITY

Ecocapsule is suitable for international transport by container within shipping, air or freight transport. A specially custom-designed trolley allows the Ecocapsule to be transported behind a passenger vehicle, turning it into a fully functional caravan. The bottom is designed to be loaded onto the trailer very easily by one person. When placed on a pontoon, it can also become a houseboat.

ECOCAPSULE® NEXTGEN

The next generation product that will bring Ecocapsule to the masses, especially thanks to:

improved functionality,
ease of installation and handling,
increased production capacities thanks to innovative technologies and
increased profitability - a mass-produced product with a reduced selling price.

Team

The Ecocapsule team is made up of talented people from a range of professions, including architects, designers, marketers, technicians and engineers with international experience. The team's quality and results-orientation was evident in 2017 when they unveiled their first final capsule prototype.

The company's founders, Tomáš Žáček and Soňa Pohlová, are behind the design and development of Ecocapsule. The team is also supported by a network of reliable suppliers who manufacture and stock the individual sub-components of the capsule. Ecocapsule also brings together an advisory board of innovation and sustainability experts, starting with Nuru Mugambi. The sustainable finance and responsible investment expert is behind the Kenya Sustainable Finance Initiative and the Green Bond Programme.

The market and competition

Ecocapsule's competitive landscape is defined by two areas: small caravans and innovative concepts for self-sufficient and mobile living.

The caravan sector has been slow to innovate and has not undergone as many fundamental changes as other sectors. The mass commercialisation of mobile solutions providing self-sustainable living is in its infancy, providing room for innovative solutions such as the Ecocapsule and for capturing the premium part of the market.

The competitive advantage stems from unique design combined with an eco-friendly concept. The combination of mobility, sustainability and flexibility in one product is unrivalled today! Mobility by road, ship and air opens up new applications. The volume of pre-orders combined with the many enquiries, the American and Japanese distributors create a solid basis for the implementation of the business plan.

Risks

Technological and operational risk

Ecocapsule is a specific product that has been developed mainly by an in-house team of experts and there is no equivalent in the world. The company has already undergone pilot testing, development and production of the first limited batch of capsules. This has been handed over to customers, thanks to which the company has received feedback from their practical use. The founders' several years of experience in the technical/implementation and design aspects of this series collectively reduce the technological risk, and the input of an experienced industry partner will be beneficial in this regard.

Market risk

Ecocapsule continuously registers hundreds of expressions of interest from all over the world - whether from distributors, hotel chains or camping and glamping resorts. By launching mass production, thanks to economies of scale, the final price for the consumer will also be lower. The Ecocapsule has its advantages in terms of green solutions, but also in terms of transport via a specially designed trolley. At the same time, the business model foresees the arrival of a strategic investor, which will also mitigate potential market risk. This is also minimized by the possibility of renting and trying out the Ecocapsule.

Risk of competition

Ecocapsule has no direct competitors and is not yet emerging as it is a complex, technologically demanding product. Neither caravans nor mobile homes are able to combine self-sufficiency and mobility together with green solutions in a comparable price level.

Scalability risk

With the advent of strategic, mass production should be set/negotiated with relevant manufacturing partners up to 200 capsules per year by 2025. The risk of scaling up production stems from the fact that production management, quality and capacity are currently designed for limited production. However, Ecocapsule has already produced its first batch, which has eliminated the most serious defects and is gradually introducing new improved versions using standardised components and production processes. Further scalability of the business plan and sales is to be brought about by the expansion of the product portfolio with new products such as Ecocapsule SPACE or 6PACK.

Investment purpose

The investment of EUR 1.5 million with co-investment of an institutional investment fund with an option of EUR 500,000 in the form of a convertible loan will be used for:

Design of the next development version of Ecocapsule NextGen, development of Ecocapsule SPACE and 6PACK
Speeding up the production process and enabling series production
Development and upgrade of technical elements
Working capital and staffing
Sales and distribution

The investment will be used for production moulds, working capital, staffing and preparing the company for the entry of a strategic partner.

Web: https://www.ecocapsule.sk/