Hi INSIDERS!
I thought it would be a good time to share the journey I have gone on over the last 17 or so months. Hopefully some people can learn from what I've been through so feel free to ask plenty of questions if I've dealt with an area that you have questions on.
Identifying the need
The journey started in January 2014 when I locked myself out of my apartment. I was on the fourth (and top) level of my building and my roommate though it would be a good idea to try and climb onto the roof then drop down onto our balcony and through the unlocked door. We got a garden hose and started creating a makeshift harness...clearly under the delusion that this would have any impact on preventing his demise down four levels to the tiles below. Fortunately this great idea came to an end when he couldn't make it from the window up to the roof.
We moved onto credit cards in the door jam. A few mangled cards later, I bit the bullet and called a locksmith. A few hundred dollars later, I was inside and reunited with my keys and thinking, THERE MUST BE A BETTER WAY!
I fired up Google and then Alibaba looking for a door lock that could be controlled with your phone assuming that it existed. To my surprise, there was nothing of the sort. DING, the seed was planted.
Research began and I noticed the early days of smart locks emerging, but still no product that fit my needs. The early products (and to this day) are all deadbolts. As someone renting an apartment that doesn't have a deadlock, these were of no use to me. I needed a smart lock that was a door lever, not a deadbolt.
Creating the solution
Early stages involved communication with manufacturers on Alibaba and designers on eLance. Unimpressed with the results, I engaged a local, Australian based industrial design firm to bring my idea to life. The Genie Smart Lock was born.
The design brief was a lever operated door handle that:
1. can be locked and unlocked using your smart phone or computer;
2. unlocks on approach and locks when you leave;
3. is easily installed and removed without a trace (perfect for those renting);
4. has real time status checking for peace of mind to check if your door is locked or unlocked at any given time; and
5. allows you to send and receive bluetooth ekeys so you can easily grant and revoke access to friends, family and contractors.
The designers did a great job in bringing the concept to life and provided 3d renders and full product specifications to achieve the brief perfectly.
Roadblocks and progress
Some parts of the journey that might help other fastlaners that I will go into more detail about in the future:
1. international patents;
2. dealing with international market leadering corporations to discuss licensing opportunities;
3. getting media coverage for your product (including coverage in TechCrunch, Gizmodo and Yahoo); and
4. dealing with internation trademark disputes.
The future
The Genie Smart Lock is in the process of being rebranded in preparation for launch on IndieGoGo. The purpose of the crowdfunding is two fold - provide capital for initial production run and prove the concept to make the business more attractive for funding or licensing.
I would love for fellow Fastlaners to join me on the journey - let me know your feedback (www.geniesmartlock.com) and most of all, let me know if you have any questions that might help you with bringing your idea to life!
I thought it would be a good time to share the journey I have gone on over the last 17 or so months. Hopefully some people can learn from what I've been through so feel free to ask plenty of questions if I've dealt with an area that you have questions on.
Identifying the need
The journey started in January 2014 when I locked myself out of my apartment. I was on the fourth (and top) level of my building and my roommate though it would be a good idea to try and climb onto the roof then drop down onto our balcony and through the unlocked door. We got a garden hose and started creating a makeshift harness...clearly under the delusion that this would have any impact on preventing his demise down four levels to the tiles below. Fortunately this great idea came to an end when he couldn't make it from the window up to the roof.
We moved onto credit cards in the door jam. A few mangled cards later, I bit the bullet and called a locksmith. A few hundred dollars later, I was inside and reunited with my keys and thinking, THERE MUST BE A BETTER WAY!
I fired up Google and then Alibaba looking for a door lock that could be controlled with your phone assuming that it existed. To my surprise, there was nothing of the sort. DING, the seed was planted.
Research began and I noticed the early days of smart locks emerging, but still no product that fit my needs. The early products (and to this day) are all deadbolts. As someone renting an apartment that doesn't have a deadlock, these were of no use to me. I needed a smart lock that was a door lever, not a deadbolt.
Creating the solution
Early stages involved communication with manufacturers on Alibaba and designers on eLance. Unimpressed with the results, I engaged a local, Australian based industrial design firm to bring my idea to life. The Genie Smart Lock was born.
The design brief was a lever operated door handle that:
1. can be locked and unlocked using your smart phone or computer;
2. unlocks on approach and locks when you leave;
3. is easily installed and removed without a trace (perfect for those renting);
4. has real time status checking for peace of mind to check if your door is locked or unlocked at any given time; and
5. allows you to send and receive bluetooth ekeys so you can easily grant and revoke access to friends, family and contractors.
The designers did a great job in bringing the concept to life and provided 3d renders and full product specifications to achieve the brief perfectly.
Roadblocks and progress
Some parts of the journey that might help other fastlaners that I will go into more detail about in the future:
1. international patents;
2. dealing with international market leadering corporations to discuss licensing opportunities;
3. getting media coverage for your product (including coverage in TechCrunch, Gizmodo and Yahoo); and
4. dealing with internation trademark disputes.
The future
The Genie Smart Lock is in the process of being rebranded in preparation for launch on IndieGoGo. The purpose of the crowdfunding is two fold - provide capital for initial production run and prove the concept to make the business more attractive for funding or licensing.
I would love for fellow Fastlaners to join me on the journey - let me know your feedback (www.geniesmartlock.com) and most of all, let me know if you have any questions that might help you with bringing your idea to life!
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