Business Name and what it does
CitySens is an entrepreneurial project founded in 2015, and our purpose is to design solutions for all nature lovers who face the lack of time and space to take care of their plants.
Our differential proposal is based on the design of modular and customizable plant stands with automatic irrigation, designed with sustainability criteria and a positive social impact.
Founder’s/Owner’s story and what motivated them to start the business
The seed of CitySens was planted in 2012, when the co-founder Xavi Rius developed his first hydroponic vertical garden for his doctoral thesis on nanosensors. With a common interest in discovering the relationship with plants in urban environments, Xavi Rius, Francisco Andrade and Par Blanking observed that the main handicaps to bring nature closer to work and home were the lack of time, space and knowledge.
Together with Lúcid, a product design studio based in Barcelona, they designed the first CitySens modular and self-watering vertical planter. Step by step and and thanks to 265 patrons of crowdfunding the CitySens vertical planter was out in the market by november 2015. The purpose of the CitySens vertical planter is to allow the cultivation of plants without worrying about indoor house space: designed as a clever modular system, it allows everyone to create a customizable vertical structure that can perfectly adapt to any workplace or house space, no matter how small. Furthermore, it includes a self-watering system, which only needs to be refilled with water and nutrients once a month.
This first CitySens design grabbed the attention from media and product design awards. The commitment to innovative and sustainable design was recognized with several awards such as the European Product Design Award, German Design Award, Delta Award and IF Award.
Over time, CitySens team has designed new plant stands such as the plant shelves, the drip irrigation system for indoor plants and self-watering wall planters, expanding the range of options so that any nature lover can enjoy a space full of life and plants.
The CitySens plant shelves is a modular system that you can assemble both vertically and horizontally, adding any number of trays and creating the configuration that suits best the available space. A great partner for the plant shelf is the dripping irrigation system which allows to water up to 20 plants, so anyone without a green thumb can cross watering plants out of the to-do’s list. This is a terrific option for those who seek taking care of their plants in a practical way while giving their spaces a minimalist and modern look.
Finally, the wall planter allows anyone to set up their own vertical garden both indoors and outdoors, taking advantage of any available space at the walls of an apartment, a terrace or an office and giving a special touch to the ambience.
On top of that, All CitySens products are manufactured with recycled and recyclable materials. In this way, we promote a circular economy, giving a second life to materials that would be rejected otherwise. On the other hand, the Pere Mata and Santa Teresa foundations are responsible for the assembly and packing of the products. These foundations employ people with different abilities and at risk of social exclusion, and by working together we provide an opportunity for their social and labor integration.
The challenges the business/market is facing / The opportunities the business/market is facing
The most important challenge our market is facing is that supply exceeds demand in a context of material price increase. This limits the benefits and thus the growth of small businesses like us.
On the other hand, we’ve observed an increasing demand for green products which help us to reconnect with nature: this is at the core of CitySens proposal, and a great opportunity for CitySens growth in the following years.
New materials and new design solutions adapted to people needs is also a great opportunity for CitySens business.
Advice to others about business
Over the past 7 years, we’ve learned to be unique in order to find our opportunity in a global market. Quality products and services gain more relevance when they are indissolubly mixed with sustainability and social impact.
Innovation, design, practicality, customization, sustainability and social commitment. These are traits that have given us a chance to outstand in the market but that is because we believe in them and we want to pass it on to our plantlover community.
GP
The work of a family doctor includes a wide range of clinical diversity, which requires extensive knowledge and erudition from a specialist. However, I believe that the most important thing for a family doctor is to be human because the cooperation and understanding between the doctor and the patient are crucial in ensuring successful health care. On my days off, I love being in nature. Since childhood, I have been passionate about playing chess and tennis. Whenever I have time off, I enjoy traveling around the world.
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