Periodic Reporting for period 2 - GoSleep (Global scale-up of GoSleep Pods more than a seat)
Reporting period: 2019-05-01 to 2021-02-28
Problem being addressed:
Long-distance travelling includes transit and long waiting times at the terminals during which people request a place to rest. According to Maslow's hierarchy, sleep is one of the fundamental needs of the human life. Traditional sofas do not provide privacy and leave the luggage unprotected. Transit to airport hotel takes a great deal of the limited time to relax. Airports need sleeping and privacy services to improve passenger satisfaction. Airports have specific criteria for the services and functions which are typical for them. For example, furniture must be readily transferable since the airport changes regularly and the fire safety need to be taken into account.
Overall objectives:
GoSleep answers the market need with an innovative product and service solution. GoSleep V2 Pod is unique Finnish design and truly innovative seating solution designed to add value to the terminal experience while offering quality rest to the passenger, complete customer satisfaction and a fantastic revenue opportunity for the operator. GoSleep V2 Pod is fully automatic reclining seat covered by breathable privacy shade. It has secure storage for hand luggage and universal recharging points.
Benefits for the society:
GoSleep pods offer many benefits for the society:
GoSleep Pods enhance the mobility of people. The innovation creates new service market for the airport operators and providing workplaces for up to 1500 persons globally of which approximately 400 in Europe. The global commercialisation of GoSleep Pods for the airports creates 1500-3000 direct and indirect workplaces. The use of GoSleep Pods instead of hotels decreases the traffic and emissions around the airports
Conclusions of the action:
The global Covid-19 pandemic has had a severe impact on GoSleep’s business as it has had an effect to the whole global aviation industry. In 2019, even early 2020, the estimations on how the flying passenger numbers will grow were on their highest and most optimistic levels, and the 3.7 billion annual passengers were a solid indication of the potential of this particular industry.
Majority of GoSleep’s business and revenue is coming from the airports when the Covid-19 pandemic hit and stopped the world. Before this, the company’s order books were full and the sales trend growing. During February-March 2020 we started to receive order cancellation or postponing of orders in a rapid way due to the fact what impact Covid-19 had to the aviation industry, completely stopping the passenger flows. At the same time, GoSleep’s own operation at Helsinki-Vantaa airport stopped in a very short period of a time. Currently occupancy rate is ca. 10% compared pre-covid times, which doesn’t cover our cost and over heads.
Due to Covid-19 caused “lock down” of the airports, we were not able to start the planned test pilot of the V2 prototype pod. This “lock down” has now continued almost 1.5 years and is very difficult to predict when it will be finished. Predicting when Covid-19 is “under control” and the world will open, is very difficult or close to impossible, for big size aviation corporations as well.
Long-distance travelling includes transit and long waiting times at the terminals during which people request a place to rest. According to Maslow's hierarchy, sleep is one of the fundamental needs of the human life. Traditional sofas do not provide privacy and leave the luggage unprotected. Transit to airport hotel takes a great deal of the limited time to relax. Airports need sleeping and privacy services to improve passenger satisfaction. Airports have specific criteria for the services and functions which are typical for them. For example, furniture must be readily transferable since the airport changes regularly and the fire safety need to be taken into account.
Overall objectives:
GoSleep answers the market need with an innovative product and service solution. GoSleep V2 Pod is unique Finnish design and truly innovative seating solution designed to add value to the terminal experience while offering quality rest to the passenger, complete customer satisfaction and a fantastic revenue opportunity for the operator. GoSleep V2 Pod is fully automatic reclining seat covered by breathable privacy shade. It has secure storage for hand luggage and universal recharging points.
Benefits for the society:
GoSleep pods offer many benefits for the society:
GoSleep Pods enhance the mobility of people. The innovation creates new service market for the airport operators and providing workplaces for up to 1500 persons globally of which approximately 400 in Europe. The global commercialisation of GoSleep Pods for the airports creates 1500-3000 direct and indirect workplaces. The use of GoSleep Pods instead of hotels decreases the traffic and emissions around the airports
Conclusions of the action:
The global Covid-19 pandemic has had a severe impact on GoSleep’s business as it has had an effect to the whole global aviation industry. In 2019, even early 2020, the estimations on how the flying passenger numbers will grow were on their highest and most optimistic levels, and the 3.7 billion annual passengers were a solid indication of the potential of this particular industry.
Majority of GoSleep’s business and revenue is coming from the airports when the Covid-19 pandemic hit and stopped the world. Before this, the company’s order books were full and the sales trend growing. During February-March 2020 we started to receive order cancellation or postponing of orders in a rapid way due to the fact what impact Covid-19 had to the aviation industry, completely stopping the passenger flows. At the same time, GoSleep’s own operation at Helsinki-Vantaa airport stopped in a very short period of a time. Currently occupancy rate is ca. 10% compared pre-covid times, which doesn’t cover our cost and over heads.
Due to Covid-19 caused “lock down” of the airports, we were not able to start the planned test pilot of the V2 prototype pod. This “lock down” has now continued almost 1.5 years and is very difficult to predict when it will be finished. Predicting when Covid-19 is “under control” and the world will open, is very difficult or close to impossible, for big size aviation corporations as well.
The aim of the Horizon 2020 instrument phase 2 Project was to finalise the development and design of V2 pod to an industrial serial product and speed up its global scale up. There were some test approaches at different new target groups. In Russia there is a plan to start GoSleep hostel at Skolkovo business center. Very interesting piloting case is co-operation we have with Coca Cola Company to be used for their new product launch. Finnish Army is also interested in this for certain purposes.
Characteristics of the new V2 pod were delivered in July 2018 and drawings completed in November 2018. First phase prototype existed in December 2018. This was followed by updated design of V2 pod for an industrialised serial product in April 2019. Tuned version of V2 pod was completed at that time.
Overview of the results and their exploitation and dissemination:
We needed to consider if the final industrial design should at the first stage be based on egg shape. According to GoSleep market research and feedback from the market it seemed that the market for the smaller type of pod having egg type of shape had the most rapid access and also having the biggest volumes. According to the project targets the most important feature was serial type of product that can be assembled from the parts. Therefore it looked the best solution to start with first this small size pod which meets 90 % same needs as bigger type of pod. Basically “Iglooo” - type of pods are utilising exactly same ideas and functionalities as “Egg”- type of products. Mock up prototypes helped us to define actual dimensions and to verify all necessary functions. We researched some studies of connectors and joint to be used in order to lock different modules together and how to ensure the long-lasting robustness of the product. Due to Covid-19 caused “lock down” of the airports, we were not able to start the planned test pilot of the V2 prototype pod.
Our vision of the impact had lot of confirmation since increased amount of orders from outside of airport sector. Growing amount of universities, hospitals and cities were ordering more and more. There were also new target groups like armies and UFC type of sports organizations approaching us with their needs. On that time, we though that it could be possible that impact is even bigger than estimated in long term creating good export product for Europe. For example, one order we got as a result of GoSleep’s attention to Beijing’s city conference where they officially introduced GoSleep to huge Chinese companies to be used at libraries and universities.
Characteristics of the new V2 pod were delivered in July 2018 and drawings completed in November 2018. First phase prototype existed in December 2018. This was followed by updated design of V2 pod for an industrialised serial product in April 2019. Tuned version of V2 pod was completed at that time.
Overview of the results and their exploitation and dissemination:
We needed to consider if the final industrial design should at the first stage be based on egg shape. According to GoSleep market research and feedback from the market it seemed that the market for the smaller type of pod having egg type of shape had the most rapid access and also having the biggest volumes. According to the project targets the most important feature was serial type of product that can be assembled from the parts. Therefore it looked the best solution to start with first this small size pod which meets 90 % same needs as bigger type of pod. Basically “Iglooo” - type of pods are utilising exactly same ideas and functionalities as “Egg”- type of products. Mock up prototypes helped us to define actual dimensions and to verify all necessary functions. We researched some studies of connectors and joint to be used in order to lock different modules together and how to ensure the long-lasting robustness of the product. Due to Covid-19 caused “lock down” of the airports, we were not able to start the planned test pilot of the V2 prototype pod.
Our vision of the impact had lot of confirmation since increased amount of orders from outside of airport sector. Growing amount of universities, hospitals and cities were ordering more and more. There were also new target groups like armies and UFC type of sports organizations approaching us with their needs. On that time, we though that it could be possible that impact is even bigger than estimated in long term creating good export product for Europe. For example, one order we got as a result of GoSleep’s attention to Beijing’s city conference where they officially introduced GoSleep to huge Chinese companies to be used at libraries and universities.
Expected outcomes of H2020 project:
The H2020 scale-up project would lead to the global market launch of GoSleep V2 pods.
Impact:
-the radical innovation creates new service market for the airport operators valuing 505 M€ annually.
- the global commercialisation of GoSleep Pods for the airports creates 1500-3000 direct and indirect workplaces.
-decreases the effects of jetlag and other disadvantages of travelling.
-decreases the amount of luggage and laptop thieves at the airport and traffic accidents after flights.
-increases the customer satisfaction to airports services.
GoSleep Pods service business at HUB airports globally serves as showcase fot the scale up to multiple new market segments.
Airports: For an airport GoSleep creates new service business and improves the passenger experience. For the pilots they offer a place for a shot and necessary rest in between flights.
Roadside service stations: GoSleep V2 Pods offer a place for a short and necessary rest for professional drivers in service stations and truck parking areas
Other transport terminals: GoSleep V2 Pods are suitable for other terminals; such as railway stations, ship terminals, bus terminals etc.
Privacy solutions: GoSleep V2 Pods fit for all the other locations where people need a place to rest or work in privacy for a while. Potential has been recognised at coworking spaces and other offices, hospitals, hostels and hotels.
The H2020 scale-up project would lead to the global market launch of GoSleep V2 pods.
Impact:
-the radical innovation creates new service market for the airport operators valuing 505 M€ annually.
- the global commercialisation of GoSleep Pods for the airports creates 1500-3000 direct and indirect workplaces.
-decreases the effects of jetlag and other disadvantages of travelling.
-decreases the amount of luggage and laptop thieves at the airport and traffic accidents after flights.
-increases the customer satisfaction to airports services.
GoSleep Pods service business at HUB airports globally serves as showcase fot the scale up to multiple new market segments.
Airports: For an airport GoSleep creates new service business and improves the passenger experience. For the pilots they offer a place for a shot and necessary rest in between flights.
Roadside service stations: GoSleep V2 Pods offer a place for a short and necessary rest for professional drivers in service stations and truck parking areas
Other transport terminals: GoSleep V2 Pods are suitable for other terminals; such as railway stations, ship terminals, bus terminals etc.
Privacy solutions: GoSleep V2 Pods fit for all the other locations where people need a place to rest or work in privacy for a while. Potential has been recognised at coworking spaces and other offices, hospitals, hostels and hotels.