HipStar LLC is developing a new type of travel gear HipStar®. I invented and built the HipStar and have been working tirelessly for the past few years to perfect it. We truly think it will become an essential travel accessory and change the way we travel forever. We received US patent, registered trademarks in the US and Australia, applied for trademarks in the EU and China. To date, we spent near $120K and we are currently finalizing the product development stage to take the product design even further and seeking seed capital.
HipStar® is a new type of travel device: a collapsible hands-free cart for all terrains. It also can be used as a backpack, bike or dog trailer. HipStar® will redefine the way people carry their stuff on the go. It is designed to handle tough terrain and reduce carrying weight by over 90% while hiking and traveling. Designed with an active lifestyle in mind, HipStar® allows users to travel for longer periods without having to sacrifice any important gear.
The potential users of HipStar® are finding the HipStar’s unique design a convenient addition to their activities:
· individual outdoor enthusiasts (tourists, hikers, photographers, backpackers, fishermen, foragers, hunters, golfers, physically impaired people, festivals' fans)
· camps and schools, youth groups (scout groups, summer camps)
· first responders (law enforcement, medical transportation, military, search and rescue)
The market for HipStar® units is diverse, including:
· Outdoor recreation equipment (hunting, fishing, camping, hiking, etc.)
· In-town use
· Specialty equipment
Thousands of individuals and families enjoy the outdoors regularly, the overall market for HipStar® is truly large. Also, the number of individuals that need to carry heavy loads of groceries and other items home makes the market even larger. Handicapped individuals and others will find the units a convenient way to move items while shopping or just getting around town. Finally, there is a potential for the HipStar® to assist with Search and Rescue and other medical and disaster emergencies as well as in some military operations.
The statistic shows the most popular recreation activities among campers in North America in 2018. During the survey, 53 percent of the respondents said their favorite activity while camping was hiking or backpacking.
The total annual market potential for Hipstar is roughly $120M. This is close to the combined markets for strollers, golf carts and moving carts that Iwe able to find. It does not include the outdoor enthusiasts, military, law enforcement, and other ancillary markets as these markets do not have any true compatible products to match HipStar against. Detailed Market Summary is available upon request.
We secured a relationship with potential regional distributors in many countries, such as Germany, France, Australia, South Africa, and others. For instance, the market of South Africa has great potential for HipStar. The Africa market is huge as most people walk and carry their goods home. This is even worse in rural areas. Our product seems to be sturdy and strong and will become very popular. The government departments will be interested and especially the Defense forces, the health department that includes ambulance services, and police specialized units. In the Agricultural sector, such as the fruit industry, there is a lot of use of manual labor. Currently, we deal with people on a very high level here and therefore the product can be introduced to the correct individuals that are in a position to make decisions on possible orders. We also deal with the tourist industry as well as recreational business outlets. There is also a huge market in the schools etc.
As regards competition, many serious and professional hikers and travelers confirmed that HipStar has the best design and unquestionable advantage over other devices. The chart in my detailed business plan offers a comparison between HipStar® and several other products. HipStar units provide the user with a wider range of motion, better weight distribution, and it is collapsible and adjustable based on the user’s size and the terrain to be traversed. Our passionate supporter John Pernu from Australia wrote: “The most versatile and effective hiking trailer! Everything seems to have been included in the design - multiple adjustments, shock-absorbing, running, walking or resting flexibility - really impressive!”
We completed the CAD design and steadily approaching the manufacturing stage. To date, we have all the hardware identified and numbered. The new prototype components assembled beautifully, and the prototype has great rigidity and a good feel. With some quality improvements, the HipStar will soon be ready for production. Currently, we are also working with bid packages (local and international) for the fabricated parts.
Although we are seeking $1 - 1.2 mln for the whole project, our immediate needs are to cover and start a manufacturing and fulfillment stage of the HipStar heavy-duty version that would be around $250K.
As an alternative funding option, we launched our secure pre-order platform based on the Stripe payment system and started receiving pre-orders.
HipStar LLC has been announced as a semifinalist of the semifinal round of Minnesota Cup Business Pitch Competition, the largest statewide business plan competition in the United States.
We have more than 1.5K subscribers who signed up via our HipStar Landing Page and Facebook ads, indicating their interest in pre-ordering or purchasing the product as soon as it will roll out the production line. HipStar's social networks are following by more than 4K followers. Social media has been a very important factor for us. Many people have shared our website. Finally, we are experimenting with inbound marketing and paid marketing on Google and Facebook. Thus far, the HipStar has received a ton of positive reviews and support. Every person who sees it always comes up with a new and personalized way to use it. Please check HipStar Testimonials Page. We also identified 15+ testers/reviewers in various countries and climate zones, who are eager to be our ambassadors to promote, test, film, review, and PR our unique product HipStar.
HipStar has been selected by Juan Pablo Savonitti, a Ultra Runner, for his amazing mission/project "Niama Limits: Running to the End of the World" - Juan Pablo will run across the whole of the Americas, from Ushuaia (Tierra del Fuego) in Argentina to Prudhoe Bay (Alaska), in the USA in aid of the deaf communities across the Americas, including USA, Canada, and all the Latino-American countries. The total distance is approximately 35,000 km and it will take 950 days (approx. 2.5 years). He will also secure a new Guinness World Record! As soon as we will assemble the first items we will sponsor and support Juan Pablo’s mission by providing him with the HipStar® heavy-duty model. It would be the greatest opportunity for us to promote the HipStar brand.
If you are interested in downloading Business Plan, Pitch Deck, and Financial Projections – please let me know.
For more information, videos, animation, images, testimonials, and social pages please visit
Thanks for your time and, if you are interested, I look forward to getting your advice.
Regards,
Igor Koshutin, CEO
HipStar LLC