OOf
OOf, an acronym for Out of Office, will revolutionise the world of work by designing and producing innovative furniture that empowers people to work flexibly with their mobile devices from offices and public spaces. The explosive growth of smartphones, tablets and laptops, in combination with cloud computing services mean that anywhere-anytime work is the new normal for 1.3b mobile workers globally. We feel there is growing demand for new types of spaces where people can work for short periods of time using their devices with some privacy. Our first product is the OOf Box, an acoustically treated, portable space where people can use their mobile devices without being distracted and without disturbing others. With a client portfolio that includes Google, Prudential and Gensler, our proposition is proven and we now seek funding to grow our team and product range.
IT’S HAPPENING NOW
With 90% of today’s workers saying that they need quiet, private spaces and 40% saying they do not have them OOf products will allow people to chose where and how they work or recharge, inside and outside the traditional office. Ubiquitous mobile connectivity means we are constantly bombarded with information and distracted, blurring the lines between work and relaxation and rewiring our brains to be always “on”. OOf products aim to enable people to better manage different work modes such as concentration, contemplation and communication, resulting in higher productivity, improved well being and a better quality of life.
Widespread availability of OOf products in offices and public areas, or so called third places, would give knowledge workers the opportunity to work and function in an autonomous way, even within the boundaries of corporate culture or the distractions of shared space. Perfectly suited to coworking spaces, OOf products enable people to use the whole city as their workplace.
We believe OOf products improve the productivity of private and public organisations by providing additional, highly efficient working areas that enhance individuals’ effectiveness. They are suitable for open plan offices as well as in common areas of buildings, such as receptions and lobbies, serving both tenants and visitors and utilising otherwise neglected spaces and real estate. Since the financial crisis the competition for top employees has intensified between organisations and talent is now considered as the No 1 source of competitive advantage . OOf products help organisations attract and retain top talent by catering to the needs of technically savvy and more autonomous knowledge workers such as the millennials generation who will make up more than 50% of the workforce by 2020. We believe OOf products will result in a well-designed physical workplace which not only helps retain employees; it enhances entrepreneurial behaviour, engagement and productivity.
•Designed, developed and soft launched, the OOf Box, with sales of £77k in the past two years.
•Exhibited in CDW, 100%design, Breaking Through, Orgatec, Saturday in Design and Vakbeurs Facilitaire.
•Clients include Google (USA) Prudential (UK), Rabobank (NL) and many more.
•Specified in projects by Gensler (world’s largest architectural practice).
•Shortlisted for the FX International Interior Design Award.
•Initial interest by AT&T, GSK, JLL, AECOM.
•Distribution agreements in Australia and the Netherlands.
•Approached by Steelcase, the world’s largest office furniture company to explore co-marketing of products.
•5 new products under development in stages from conceptual mock-ups to final prototyping before production.
•Collaborating with talented designers to grow our product range.
Using our own funds during the past few years we successfully developed, launched and started production and sales of the OOf Box, with clients like Google and shipping as far as USA and AU. Having proven our proposition and scratched the surface of its potential now is the right time to up the game and truly capitalise on this unique opportunity.
£150K FUNDING ALLOCATION, 12 MONTH RUNWAY.
Salaries: 35%
Production and R&D: 25%
Administrative: 23%
Marketing & sales: 17%
OBJECTIVES
1. Build our team (operations, sales)
2. Build OOf Box samples for free trials with key customers
3. Expand our range of products and price points to complement the OOf Box as per clients’ and distributors’ feedback
4. Shift marketing to direct sales, targeting the A&D community with trade shows and top level case studies
5. Expand our social media presence
6. Move into new design studio premises (rented)
7. Start exploring USA opportunities with our manufacturer through their showrooms in LA, NY, Chicago.
DIRECTOR’S LOAN
There is a director’s loan from George Liarikos to the company amounting to £77,104 outstanding according to the latest accounts. None of the proceeds raised will be used to service this loan.