GREEN YOUR BUSINESS – DTU 27.02.2014

• What is Sprout – plantyourpencil.com

• Idea – kickstarter.com

• Sprout - from idea to commercialization

• Business model

• Sprout - 1 year later

• Opportunities and challenges

• The ”Green thread” – Sprout 2.0

•

SPROUT in a few steps…..

• Simple drawing yet it illustrates sustainability in an easy 3-step way

(Patented)

• 100% natural product

• Signals green and ”you care” – recycling, upcycling, down cycling

• End to over consumption – no more use and throw away

• Use products for one purpose, then reuse for another, and finally, recycle

• A product getting a new life, rather than just being thrown away • Not just a gimmick

And yes …. Sprout pencils DO sprout

Ide og baggrund

• Engineering students from MIT, Boston, USA

• Product design course: Design an environmentally friendly office product for the future

• Brain-storm, desig and test

• RESULT ……

• A pencil with season seeds capsule!?

Kickstarter.com

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=72bBCGXuQ6w

From idea

to viable business

Marketing

We are

• Young dynamic SUSTAINABLE business

• Green businessmodel??

• Sustainability is not ONLY about production and conditions – it is about the product being used sustainable also.

• Responsible – but profitable – possible

Why Sprout became an instant success

• Sign of the times – we think about consumption

• Walk the talk ….. Put your money where your mouth is ….

• The sustainable consumer – our consumer :

”Dansk detail får verdens mest bæredygtige produkt”

Det er kommet mere og mere fokus på CSR og bæredygtighed i detailbranchen Nu skal produkterne ikke bare produceres på en måde, der skader miljøet mindst muligt - Produkterne selv skal også være bæredygtige

Nær og grøn markedsføring

Sociolog og senioranalytiker Ane Friis fra CPH Lighthouse kan se potentialet i den nye idé

”Vi har set utallige eksempler på bæredygtige produkter, men ofte ligger produktet eller formålet længere væk fra forbrugeren.

I dette tilfælde har vi produktet helt tæt på forbrugerne, som ved selvsyn – og selvpleje ikke mindst, kan se den brugte blyant genopstå i en ny funktion som anvendelig krydderurt, siger hun”

CARROTMOBS

SPROUT TODAY Facts ….

• Sprout Europe is a Danish registered company

(Sprout Denmark)

• Distributors in 10 European countries

• Joint venture with US partner

incl patent and US distribution

So, where are we now?

• + 250.000 Sprouts sold in less than 8 month

• + 100.000 in Denmark alone

• 50/50 % B2C and B2B (customized)

• Target group = women and families

• Massive interest globally – consumers, corporations and media/bloggers. Sold in over 25 countries in Europe – WITHOUT active sales force

OPPORTUNITIES

• Unlimited – we have barely started

• The green and conscious consumer is here to stay

• Develop brand and goodwill – new sustainable, innovative and unique products

• Optimize and reduce cost of production and logistics – increase the potential market through lower prices

Challenges ……

• Hype or actually ”sustainable” (businesswise)

• Growing too fast

• Innovation – listen to the consumer /customer

• Competition – Sprout pencil = Blue Ocean …. New products perhaps less protected

• Seasonal (plants – heat/light)

• Price

”The Green Thread” I SPROUT INNOVATION and Product development

THANK YOU