POD Tents used as UKTI case study
POD Tents used as UKTI case study
A start-up business that offers a new concept in camping has used UKTI funding and advisory support to develop a robust strategy for global expansion.
Over the last two years Jason Thorpe, Director of M2C Innovation, has been developing the POD Tent system, an innovative twist on traditional camping that offers campers a more social experience via a series of interconnecting living and sleeping tents.
“I was inspired by my festival experiences,” explains Jason. “I wanted to make it easier for families and groups of friends to enjoy socialising at festivals. The POD Tent enables children to sleep safely in the evenings while parents commune in a shared space. It also allows groups of adults to camp together and socialise undercover, despite the gazebo bans often in place.”
Jason was at the prototype stage when he first met UKTI Trade Adviser James Gillespie in summer 2013. On hearing of Jason’s global vision for POD Tents, James invited him to join UKTI’s Passport to Export programme that provides new exporters with an introduction to the international marketplace. “Working with UKTI made immediate sense to me,” says Jason. “We were already confident about trading in the UK, but as the UK summer season is only four to five months long we needed to develop a global, annual market that allows us to chase the sun.”
In September 2013 Jason attended a two-day workshop as part of the Passport to Export programme. “The workshop undoubtedly helped us to refine our growth strategy. It showed us that we would be wise to trial our products over a full season in the UK in order to ensure product excellence before we took on the global marketplace.”
“We also learnt the importance of having a specific focus: although the global opportunities are potentially huge for our business, we need to be clear about which countries to tackle, how, why and when.”
UKTI matched funding, accessed through the Passport scheme, also enabled the company to commission a report that identified the design improvements required to make POD Tents truly global. “For instance we have now increased the side and top ventilation of each POD in line with international standards, ensured that every POD has a fire exit, and provided care and safety instructions in a range of European languages,” says Jason.
Trade Adviser James Gillespie has also encouraged Jason to consider markets beyond recreation. “POD Tents could be used by international aid agencies, both during and after a disaster,” explains James. “In addition to providing shelter and a sense of community, the PODs could also be connected in straight-line form to channel people for inoculations and other forms of medical care.”
Jason adds, “James opened my eyes to the fact that if we want to break into this market over the longer term we need to begin by researching the routes to market now, and identifying our strategy. We’re due to attend a UKTI international aid workshop next month as our first action point.”
“James has proven to be a very supportive trade adviser who is extremely product savvy. He has connected us to UKTI support that has proved crucial in helping us to formulate a strong and insightful plan for our expansion overseas.”