Clasp is an anti-theft device for laptops, designed for people who work in shared public spaces. It is a physical product. The approach is the same as for a digital product: spot an opportunity, explore it through discovery and test the solution against the market.
The context
My partner often works from cafés. One evening, she told me she needed a way to secure her laptop when stepping away briefly. We looked at what was on the market: nothing really met that need.
That was where the idea came from: a portable, discreet, sturdy device that is easy to fit. We still needed to find out whether the need extended beyond the two of us.
Exploring unfamiliar territory.
We did not know how a physical product comes into being. We were newcomers to the field. We contacted several engineering consultancies to understand how a product is created: design, development and distribution. It was a fascinating experience that introduced me to the main stages of a product approach.
Discovery in two stages.
First, quantitative research: 250 people surveyed by research institute Selvitys about their working habits, the solutions they already used and their interest in an anti-theft device. Then qualitative research: 33 interviews with people contacted on LinkedIn.
Two target groups: freelancers and remote workers (B2C), and shared workspaces and coworking spaces (B2B).
The solution
To help people picture the solution, I co-designed a concept with a design studio (this was well before AI!): sketches, 3D modelling and renders showing it in use. I then contacted some of the interviewees again to show them these visuals and gather their reactions.
At the same time, we prepared an application for an incubator, seeking support to move towards industrial production: a business plan, a presentation and a model based on series production funded by grants.
The results
283
People heard from.
0
Prototypes held by a user. Everyone we spoke to saw images, never the object itself.
1 question
The incubator’s panel asked what we actually had in our hands that day. Apart from the visuals, nothing. The incubator did not select us.
No Go
No satisfactory technical solution, and not enough interest to justify the manufacturing investment. Looking back, we had never found our market.
Why I share this experience
Clasp shaped how I build products: get something testable out quickly and put it in front of the market.
If I were doing it again, I would build a working prototype within the first few weeks and put it in front of users before preparing an application. For a physical product, that prototype depends on technology, manufacturing and funding. With a digital product, I can do it in a few days, and AI has accelerated all of this in recent years.
What I love about this work is being able to offer someone a solution quickly, without depending heavily on others.