Tag Line:
Opolis is a high-end aspirational eyewear company made from recycled plastic bottles and other upcycle products gathered from the most polluted regions of the world.
Value Proposition:
The way humans consume products and natural resources is destroying our planet. The plastic endemic the world now finds itself in is a very real ecological, animal, and ultimately human problem. Opolis is taking action and working to promote a circular plastic economy – a system aimed at eliminating waste and the continual use of resources. Opolis’ “one plastic bottle sunglasses model” and supply chain creates a monetizable plastic economy for the developing communities most impacted by plastic waste. It’s a win for everyone - from the person who collects bottles, the manufacturers, and the consumer who can look great and feel even better wearing a pair of Opolis shades.
Customer Problem:
The sunglasses industry’s low entry barriers have led to an oversaturation of companies selling unsustainable poor quality and mass-produced products. Opolis’ goal is to disrupt the market becoming one of the leading eco-friendly players. Opolis is ushering in the new sustainable age of sunglasses, selling handcrafted premium sunglasses with 100% transparency into the production process and the local and global impact.
Product:
Opolis’ product is unique because of the unprecedented value it offers premium, polarized optics, crafted from recycled and biomaterial-based plastic, all for under $150.00. The raw materials used to create Opolis’ molds/frames are sourced from Post Consumer Recyclable (PCR) and Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET water bottle) flakes from manufacturers within countries most affected by the plastic epidemic such as Indonesia, the Philippines, and Kenya.
Industry:
The online sunglasses sales industry has experienced significant growth over the last five years, reaching $1.3 billion in sales. It is projected that over the next five years the market will see an annualized increase of 3.2% by 2025 of $1.5 billion. The sunglasses market is fragmented with one major player who has less than 10% of the overall market, allowing Opolis the opportunity to capture pockets of market share. By year five of operation, Opolis projects to own 0.05% of that market, which translates over $7.5M in revenue.
Key Trends in Consumer Buying:
● 79% of individuals are more deeply connected to companies with values similar to their own
● 91% of global citizens are interested in hearing about corporate social responsibility initiatives, but messages must be honest and clear
Target Market/Customers:
Generation X (ages 39-54) and Millennials (ages 23-38) , the majority demographic of online buyers, are most inclined to purchase from brands dedicated to environmental, travel, fashion and aspirational trends. These individuals often fall under the category of “Outdoor Enthusiasts,” a group that values a brand's mission and expression. These two groups account for 86.9% of the overall consumer sunglasses market for 2020, according to the May 2020 IBIS World Report.
Marketing Strategy:
(1) Earned and paid acquisition; accelerate product feedback and build brand advocates through initial earned and paid media via Facebook/Instagram, Google, and TikTok. (2) Build community; microcontent from brand ambassadors and athletes will help drive shareability and repeat purchases which will create a flywheel effect driving community engagement. (3) Content and product experience; developing and pushing engaging creatives, shared content to build brand awareness and curiosity, diverse product placement strategy. (4) Strategic partnerships; working, collaborating and partnering with similar mission driven brands who already have market validation will help drive awareness and legitimacy.
Competitive Advantage:
Opolis provides a sustainable premium product and has a unique advantage over its competitors within two spaces: the premium eyewear market (i.e., Warby Parker, Garett Leight, Raen, and Smith) and the sustainable/affordable market (i.e. Sunski, Parafina). Not only does Opolis make handcrafted sustainable optics but it has cultivated a unique production process that is honest and transparent. Unlike other brands, Opolis holds itself to a higher standard and pledges to use sustainable materials pulled directly from oceans and landfills.
Business Model:
Opolis is a direct to consumer (D2C) company with all products sold, managed, and operated via its online store, and powered by Shopify’s ecommerce platform. Running the business through the D2C model will allow the company to be nimble and will help keep operating costs down. Manufacturing will be outsourced to leaders in plastic fabrication.
Management Team:
CEO (FT): James Merrill. Accomplished operations expert with 10 years in establishing US Government projects and start-ups around the world. Established/commercialized a grassroots e-commerce sunglasses brand bringing in $1.3 Million in revenue in 2019. Marketing Director (Contractor): Archit Batlaw. CEO of Reach Media, over 3 years advising high growth CPG and eComm businesses on digital strategy at Facebook. Lead Creative (Contractor): Drew Wittig. 15+ years of experience in physical and digital product design. He has supported big names such as Facebook, Google, and Taxjar. Lead Developer (Contractor). Montana Jones. Full-stack engineer with a decade of experience building successful digital sales solutions for small and enterprise-sized businesses. Notable clients have been Warner Bros, NBC Universal, Activision, and Square Enix. Social Media Manager (Contractor): Lauren O’Brien. 12 + years in print, web and video production. Spent four years at National Geographic as a Social Media Producer and Content Manager. At the LA Times Lauren served as a marketing expert for over three years.
Use of Fundraising Proceeds:
$500K for 12-month runway. $150k inventory production and fulfillment. This will include first and second orders of 3,600 units per order. $200K for operations, salaries, legal and accounting. $150K in marketing, and customer acquisition. Team expansion from 1 FTE’s to 3 FTEs.
Financials (USD) | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025
Revenues | $(100,00) | $3,106,479 | $6,212,958 | $12,425,915 | $24,851,830 | $49,703,661
Net | $(100,00) | $415,209 | $931,745 | $1,921,830 | $4,035,685 | $8,264,695
Pre-Money Valuation:
Negotiable (not priced)
Industry:
Sunglasses & Eyewear (D2C)
Employees:
1 Full Time
Contact:
James Merrill
Instagram:
Stage:
Product Prototype Development
Capital Raised to Date:
$120K
Capital Seeking:
$500K