How Red Bull Basement innovators are making eco-friendly laundry a reality
Joanna Power and Paramveer Bhachu
© Joanna Power/Paramveer Bhachu
It sounds like congratulations are in order – you received a Net Zero Living Programme grant this year from Innovate UK, the government innovation agency working to achieve net-zero.
This has enabled us to reach out to a group of manufacturers and create a working prototype of our Lylo product, and have it tested in real-world conditions by actual users.
Yes, we’re actually getting it to users! We’ve been working with Anglia Ruskin University here in the UK to get our first unit over to them and have 50 students trial it in their accommodations.
How's that going?
You go into it very excited because it’s the first time that your product’s been the hands of the users. For any product designer, that's quite magical – it’s like seeing your baby walk. So it’s exciting, but, of course, there are growing lists of little things we need to work out.
What happens after that concludes?
Going into early 2025, it's putting together that list of 'here are the improvements we need to do' and 'here’s how we need to develop it for manufacture', and then going for the big money raising. We've been holding our breath for that, knowing what manufacture setup costs whenever you develop hardware.
I think that’s the headline: 2025 – Look for Investors!
Bhachu and Power present their model washing machine at Red Bull Basement
© Mark Roe/Red Bull Content Pool
Now that we know the latest, let's talk about how you've come to this point. You once said that winning Red Bull Basement had totally changed your plans for life after university. What's your path been?
After we finished studying in 2021, we joined a hardware accelerator, where we actually started the business and developed the product further. Then, we got accepted into The Greenhouse accelerator, which is done with the Grantham Institute at Imperial College London. We also applied for various things like Young Innovators and Women in Innovation awards, which Joanna has been amazing at winning, first of all, and then participating in.
So, over the past couple of years, it's been development, essentially: furthering product development, looking at the manufacture and then this Net Zero Living grant. We're still in the product development stage, but fingers crossed we're nearing the end of that soon, because we'll have feedback and we'll be able to design for manufacture, essentially, at that point.
Momentum seemed to build after you participated in Red Bull Basement. Was it an impetus for you?
Absolutely. At the time, when we entered Red Bull Basement, we had put Lylo on the back burner. But winning – well, to be honest, just entering and getting to the next stage – validated the idea, because people saw value in it. That kind of reassurance, it's something to aim for. It shows you that you have a reason to continue. I think that's why Joanna and I are where we are now, because we entered Red Bull Basement and it snowballed from there.
I definitely agree. We were at university, but suddenly, when you're in these finals, you're like, 'Oh I should really put some time on this project'. For us, I don't think we would have put the time into making that 'first-look' prototype, nor would we have had the kind of support we received, such as the Red Bull UK team sending us a 3D printer to get that prototype done. It's almost a kick you need to do it.
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How do you find the networking aspect of collaborative events like Red Bull Basement?
During the final I was able to talk with the previous winners, Audvice, and ask, "What should the main selling point of the pitch be?" That really helped us. We've stayed in touch with them – and other people – ever since. It really does connect you to like-minded innovators.
I would feel terrible if in 20 years I went, 'What if?'
One last question: do you still think that an idea can change the world?
I absolutely do. If our journey is anything to go by, our idea has the opportunity to do a lot of good and we've seen that with a lot of the startups. In the new entrepreneurial world that's been unlocked for us, we've connected with a range of companies, startups and young entrepreneurs. People with great ideas who, down the line, we could really see taking huge opportunities to make a difference.
I think one side of our motivation is a kind of FOMO: a fear of missing out on all these opportunities that have come up. There's a real chance to make change – you've got to keep giving it a go. I would feel terrible if in 20 years, bored with an office job, I went, 'What if?'