The Innovation Lab helps companies go through the entire process of designing, prototyping, and launching a product, but certain projects can also plug into a specific area for expertise to move their venture forward.
Sengo, LLC, founded by Dave Jaeckle, is a manufacturing company offering eco-friendly solutions for the sporting and entertainment industry. The first product from their GameChanger™ line is the Tray, a combined food and drink carrier that can be stored in a cup holder for individuals to enjoy on the go. The patent-pending tray is made from 100% sustainable plant fibers, compostable in 90 days, and is positioned ahead of the global market transition towards single-use green products. They are based out of South Bend and have used the resources in the Lab to print a dozen of the high fidelity prototypes for this product that mimicked its final design in terms of detail and functionality.
In the entrepreneurial space, time is extremely valuable; the speed and dedication offered by Innovation Lab’s services provided a substantial advantage. Compared to third-party companies that can take around two weeks to deliver a product, the Lab printed each of the models overnight for Jaeckle to pick it up the next day. In doing so, the team at Sengo Products saved 22 weeks by reducing the idle time spent waiting for prototypes to print from 24 weeks to 12 days.