The concept for LUNATIVE was smart clothing with smart technologies that represent a product innovation in the functional clothing industry. The idea is to use smart IoT and light integration in textiles to improve visibility and safety.
Smart active light was the magic formula and core idea of LUNATIVE. It should provide uniform lighting without the need for diffusion. Integrated almost invisibly, it would create a unique lighting effect with maximum lighting efficiency. In spite of its low energy consumption, it should have a very long life without reducing the light intensity and redefine pleasant light.
As the VP Product at LUNATIVE, I faced several challenges. First, there was the difficulty of developing product concepts and creating MVPs for each customer according to their individual needs. These MVPs then had to be successfully transferred to production. Another obstacle was managing the nearshore team in the Czech Republic while working as a keynote speaker in the US and EU.
The transition to a chaotic start-up environment was an additional challenge. We had to manage an innovation transformation into a commercial market and find the balance between agility and structure.
The solution to LUNATIVE's challenges was to further develop smart technologies in textiles and to involve leading brands in the industry in an innovation-driven collaboration. This enabled the successful development of innovative prototypes that revolutionized the market.
Of particular note was the introduction of smart safety features in lifestyle and functional apparel, which created a new trend and paved the way for new innovations. These smart safety features helped to improve the visibility and safety of the wearer, resulting in significant progress in the market.
The approach at LUNATIVE included direct leadership of the inventor and the development of a comprehensive product strategy that included supplier management. A key part of the approach was to build rapid, disposable prototypes that were used for customer testing to get rapid feedback and make iterative improvements.
In the area of IoT, an IoT platform was defined to ensure a consistent customer journey while meeting individual customer requirements. This included the development of IoT hardware and a demo app for various commercialization models. During app development, an international business development lead was appointed to coordinate customer and supplier management to ensure a smooth implementation.
