EQUIP: Revolutionizing access to sports
by Nidecker
EQUIP, a startup from the Nidecker group, aims to make sports accessible to everyone, anytime, and anywhere. To achieve this, they design and market connected lockers, located near sports venues, offering self-service sports equipment.
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The idea
Facilitating access to sports equipment through connected lockers, managed via a mobile app. Their mission? To make sports accessible to everyone by adopting a circular model. Shared equipment is optimized for longevity, reducing the ecological footprint. By prioritizing reuse over individual ownership, EQUIP promotes a more sustainable consumption model.
The challenge
At the beginning of the journey, the startup had a barely functional POC (Proof of Concept). The main challenge was to finalize development and industrialize the product. It was at this stage that VF Engineering joined the team, bringing the technical expertise that Equip lacked.
The industrialization
Our team immersed itself in the project, working closely with Equip’s marketing, design, and software departments. Together, we developed a functional prototype by focusing on the electronic and mechanical aspects, as well as managing the testing process.
Two prototypes were manufactured and installed to observe user interactions. Feedback from these installations allowed us to make adjustments, and we monitored the product's evolution over several months. After a year, we entered an improvement and consolidation phase to refine the concept.
The results?
After a year of intensive development and collaboration, Equip successfully produced over 1,000 units, meeting a growing demand. Today, the startup holds a strong position in the global market, and we continue to work together on ongoing improvements as well as the development of new products.