Kenneth Terrell A wristband that uses sonar to help people who are blind or with low vision navigate their surroundings w...
Problem
While you can enjoy a stroll down the street without worrying constantly about your safety, that’s not a reality for everyone…
It is true that technology for the visually impaired has made tremendous progress in the last few years, but it’s rarely intuitive and (even worse) not actually affordable for visually impaired citizens on a budget. Most companies provide limited solutions for specific concerns, but not an integral device that can help them be truly more independent. What regular people take for granted is a challenge 285 MILLION VISUALLY IMPARED PEOPLE in the world have to face on an HOURLY basis:
Solution
Sunu Band: The only smart band with Sonar obstacle detection and GPS navigation, that grants independence to the visually impaired
Sunu band is a revolutionary device engineered with echolocation technology, which effectively detects objects within 16 feet (5 meters), indicating through vibration how far or close the obstacle is. This dramatically reduces upper body accidents by 90%, making mobility safe, simple and intuitive for the user.
Why Is The Sunu Band Different Than Regular Aids For The Visually Impaired?
SUNU band is by far the best technological device to cover all orientation, navigation and risk minimization features in one.
Sunu with you VS. Sunu without you
Product
SUNU was created with a single purpose: Empowering visually impaired individuals to achieve independence, as a step to create a world where everyone gets a fair chance in life.
SUNU is NOT a project in development:
- SUNU has been distributed since its launch in 2017
- It’s widely distributed by partners in 28 countries.
- Users from +50 countries have purchased directly from the website.
- It already has 2 approved patents.
- Approved by regulatory agencies like FCC, CE and FDA.
SUNU Band remains the best & most intuitive smart device for visually impaired individuals
SUNU band works using sonar technology, sending vibrations and catching them back when they bounce with objects.
This same mechanism is used by bats for orientation, so SUNU band is like an unlocked sixth sense for people with visual impairments.
Added to this SUNU band has awesome added features when working with a smartphone:
Traction
+$1M in revenue, worldwide distribution and users in over 50 countries
Sunu has found tremendous success since its launch 2 years ago, and now it’s being distributed worldwide. It is even part of international programs designed to enhance the life of visually impared individuals.
Growth
Sunu has grown into a very special place as a partner for investors, institutions, distributors and users alike.
And the more Sunu grows, the more impaired people get access to a more independent life. It’s a positive feedback loop where all the parties get incredible benefits.
Here's our semestral growth chart:
That is a total of $940K, from our retail website and:
- 47 distribution partners in 28 countries, such as Vision Australia, New England Eye Institute in the US and Sight & Sound in the UK
- Subsidies channels in Norway, Australia and 3 in the US (1 for insurance, 2 for Veteran Affairs).
- Soon opening subsidies channels in Israel and Germany
And along with you...
We're projecting to reach +$2M USD in 2020
Awards
Press
Customers
Expanding new horizons for the visually impaired
Sunu band is not just a cool gadget. Sunu band is a life-changing device created for visually impaired individuals who want to live a more independent life and being able to perform everyday tasks without putting their (and others') physical integrity at risk.
Users report:
- Reduced accidents by 90%
- Feelings safer when they're out
- Reducing anxiety
- Improved confidence
- Feeling more independent to perform otherwise difficult tasks
- The Sunu band is now part of their everyday life, an "extension of themselves"
Sunu currently has:
- 5,000 users
- In over 50 countries
- The app is available in more than 30 languages
Here's what our users have to say:
With a short learning curve and a new sense of confidence and independence, Sunu has empowered visually impaired individuals all over the globe.
Business model
Mobility, simplicity & affordability ... All in 1 device for a quality of life upgrade
Sunu band is an affordable device designed for every visually impaired individual who seeks to gain mobility and independence.
Sunu band is also backed by our mobile app which constantly updates to provide an optimized service to all of our users.
In order to penetrate into developing markets, we plan to turn Sunu into a “Hardware-as-a-service” business model, where people pay a subscription for it.
Although Sunu band is more affordable than most of its competitors and offers superior features, it is still a very profitable endeavor:
Channels
Market
An ever-increasing need for intuitive mobility solutions.
The global assistive technologies market is expected to reach $31B by 2024, more than double of what it was worth in 2015.
But why is it growing so fast? As of today 15% of the entire population suffers a disability, out of which:
The size for the global assistive technologies for the visually impaired market in 2016 was $3.2B. This market segment is expected to reach $7.2B by the year 2026, that’s a yearly growth of 8.6%. And 70% of this market is located in North America and Europe.
Competition
There's nothing offering what Sunu does
Sunu band is hands down, the most complete device to empower the visually impaired through affordable technology.
In terms of mobility, simplicity & integration, the Sunu band is unmatched:
Vision and strategy
Creating a world where disabilities are fully embraced and human abilities empowered.
We believe that every single individual with the will to grow deserves to be supported, with no distinctions. We’re here to break walls and create bridges for people with disabilities. For that, we built Assistive and Human Augmentation products to help them tackle their biggest barriers.
To achieve that, we work on developing solutions to harvest high returns and make a positive impact in the world. Take a quick glance at what's next for Sunu:
Current Project Developments:
I. Blind Toolbox App
II. Sunu Band X
III. Next Gen Smart Wearable Technology
Funding
Raised $870K in investment to date.
So far, Sunu has received investments from organizations and private parties, all of them smart and conscious, who can envision its life-changing potential; not only for people with visual impairment, but for an entirely integrated & empathetic world.
How Sunu gives purpose to your investment:
You’re supporting a project that closes the social gap for the visually impaired.
Sunu is a pioneer in the assistive technologies market, a new industry with incredible growth potential.
The first and still the best, Sunu is way more efficient and affordable than its competitors.
Sunu keeps building bridges with organizations that help those who can’t even afford our device.
The Sunu band is not a prototype, it is already all over the globe, and it keeps expanding among an incredibly wide demographic that has been left out.
We’re already growing organically, but we need the funding to speed-up the process and reach those who need Sunu easier.
We’re building a better tomorrow through an incredible business opportunity.
Still on the fence about investing in Sunu?
As an experienced investor, we understand you’re not somebody who studies a potentially life-changing technology lightly. That’s why we want to help you understand our product and business model.
I’m still unsure if the market is big enough for Sunu to be a profitable venture.
Who will be the everyday consumer for the Sunu Band? Anyone whose mobility, autonomy and daily life are full of frequent accidents (bumps and collisions) with obstacles. And currently, there are 285M visually impaired worldwide, of which 39M are totally blind and 246M are low vision. In North America (US and Canada) 26.6M are visually impaired, that’s 3.2M blind and 23.4M with low vision.
What Sunu brings to the table -compared to the competition- is a multifunctional approach to their needs, instead of being limited to just one area, while eliminating a steep learning curve & social stigma attached to products for people with visual impairment. This makes Sunu Band an attractive solution to a much broader visually impaired consumer base.When is the earliest that I can expect Sunu to turn a profit?
We expect to be profitable by Q3 this year. Our goal is to generate $2M in revenue for 2020, our quarterly goal for Q1 is $300k. We also have planned to release important enhancements to the App and Band.Can I invest from anywhere in the world?
Yes, Sunu has worldwide presence, so we’ve ensured investing in it is possible worldwide. Republic’s platform provides additional information for investors in the EU and other countries.I’m concerned about the device’s convenience for the user: Does Sunu band ABSOLUTELY require a smartphone to operate?
Anticipating phones run out of battery, or that they can get lost/stolen, Sunu band’s main function (which is obstacle detection) does not require a smartphone to work.
Sunu band’s functions do get enhanced by smartphone connectivity. Android and IOs smartphones have built-in settings for visually impaired individuals, and our app is obviously designed thinking of our users. We facilitate using Sunu band’s app features as much as we can, but a smartphone is not a must. Sunu band does have to be paired with a smartphone at least once to gather data, from there, pairing is not mandatory.Is Sunu band completely (or partially) patented?
We are protecting several aspects of the product, from the ergonomic design, utility model, to the electronic design for the sensor and other components. Our patent information is disclosed within our Form C filing.Could Sunu band’s battery endurance be a deterrent for potential buyers?
Sunu band has a micro-USB to USB charging port, which usually gets the device fully charged in 2-3 hours. Depending on use, Sunu band’s battery normally lasts about 2 days per charge.Could Sunu potentially render white canes and vision dogs obsolete?
No. Sunu easily detects obstacles and dramatically enhances navigation for the visually impaired, but ground-level unevenness are still better detected by a cane or a dog.
Also, white canes and guide dogs have a social function. They allow people around to know an individual is visually impaired and take proper precautions.I’m concerned if Sunu is currently manufactured by an OEM?
Sunu is the owner of its own manufacturing facilities. The manufacturing facilities are located in Guadalajara, Mexico. Guadalajara has become one of the leading manufacturing cities for electronics, so even if the demand increases, we can expand our facilities as production requires.
We’ve also run a couple of tests with a Chinese OEM, with optimal results.
We plan to keep our manufacturing facilities in Guadalajara, but am OEM would not compromise Sunu’s quality.What’s the current exit strategy for Sunu?
We envision an acquisition opportunity as an exit for Sunu. Currently, there’s a tendency for the wearable market to provide a specialized solution for their different market segments, as well as large companies looking to integrate mobility solutions within their products for human augmentation & empowerment.
This opens opportunities for Sunu to become an extension of a leader company, on its effort to provide specialized solutions for a niche market, to ensure user retention and adding real value to our customers but also our investors.