Sustainable Shelter Symposium 3 25 06

Icosa’s 5-Year Journey: 

Technology & Business: Concurrent Development Challenges Icosa Village, Inc. Markus Robinson markus@icosavillage.net Sustainable Shelter Symposium -OMSI - March 25, 2006 Icosa’s 5-Year Journey

Lessons learned developing a new shelter technology while concurrently trying to build a small business.: 

Lessons learned developing a new shelter technology while concurrently trying to build a small business.

Slide3: 

“If we must live in a world in which people are forced to live in cardboard boxes, then someone should at least invent a better box” - Sanford Ponder

Challenges: 

Challenges From Idea to Solution Learning what problems to solve! Design Materials Manufacturing Utilization ‘best practices’ Survival (a.k.a. Funding) VCs, Angel Investors Boot-strapping Building the Business Realities A ‘crisis a day’ Progress has to happen Drivers The Pods Ethics Risk & Risk Analysis Entrepreneurial disposition ‘Buzz’ Creation The right technology for each problem The Internet

Pods start & ship as flat panels: 

The Pods Pods start & ship as flat panels The Pods Assembling an IcoPod Base-Ring rests on ground or platform Base-Saddle synchronizes the icosahedron Panel-Beams are the basic building block 6-inches thick, Panel-Beams can be insulated 3 Panel-Beams create a Wall-Triangle Wall-Triangles group into sub-assemblies The sub-assemblies sit on the Base-Saddle A pentagonal sub-assembly caps the IcoPod Pod seams are taped to make them watertight Pod shell ready for door, windows & vents The Door-Portal replaces a Wall-Triangle Door and interior window panes installed Folding a translucent Outer-Window pane Standard Outer-Window panes installed Cowled vents fit over the windows Pull strings to open and close the vents Clear window panes can be easily installed Two vents and clear windows installed Very bright translucent Ico GrowPod IcoPod as desert field office 108 sq. ft. IcoPod fits 3 refugees (UNHCR) Ico GrowPod glowing at night IcoPods at Forum Barcelona (Spain 2004) Assembling a DecaPod (Identical technology, most parts the same) DecaPod Base-Ring on wood foundation 1st wall pentagon braced by 2 Fill-Triangles 2nd wall pentagon and 3rd Fill-Triangle added 3rd wall pentagon with 4th Fill-Triangle brace 4 pentagonal wall sub-assemblies installed 5th Wall-Pentagonal temporarily blocks entry Upper Fill-Triangles installed, more taping Preparing to install the Capping-Pentagon Slot-and-tab connections between triangles Ladders & Muscle (no power tools) Entire DecaPod surface within arm’s reach Laying down a 472 sq. ft. fabric floor Pod Door-Ports can be wheelchair accessible 16’ ceiling makes space for bunk beds or loft Cathedral-like “dignified shelter” DecaPod at night 2004 Forum Barcelona ‘Peace Camp’

Pod Technology: 

Pod Technology True 4-Season “Dignified Shelter” aesthetically pleasing, psychologically soothing 6”-thick rigid double-walls: leverage passive ventilation or insulation Extruded-plastic impervious to water damage Unique Technology ‘Origami’ Architecture: folded, taped, slot & tab panels Simple assembly with no power tools Cookie-cutter manufacture: standard stamped parts

Getting from there…: 

Getting from there… ‘Novel Technology’ Axiom: Experience teaches you what problems need to be solved …to Here

Key Evolutions: 

Key Evolutions Design 24% volume increase (assembly constrained) Opening vents, clear windows, chimney heat sink Structural Channel-Beams, snow-load post, gluing Materials Migration from cardboard to extruded plastic Optimized 3mm panel thickness Manufacturing Large-panel stamping expertise Utilization ‘best practices’ 8 major revisions to the manual, 126 FAQs All Primarily deployment driven!

‘Novel Technology’ Axiom:You’ve got to drive, but you have to go where the technology leads.: 

‘Novel Technology’ Axiom: You’ve got to drive, but you have to go where the technology leads. Materials Behavior GrowPod Implications Geometry Limitations Pseudo-2Freq. Decas Physical Limitations Snow-load Redesign Human Error Deployment Success Warranty Implications Which Technology, Which Market? Carton degradation 220 days out Flute Delamination 400+ day plastic UV degradation UV-instigated brittleness Early fill-triangle problem … a meter of snow & collapse Miss-assembly doesn’t help … DecaPod assembly in Kashmir

‘Novel Technology’ Axiom:The technology will teach you, if you listen.: 

‘Novel Technology’ Axiom: The technology will teach you, if you listen. Loading performance Identifying technology limits Platform options Proposed version Field-imposed version Assembly economics Field-developed version Inexpensive stress testing Very nice, but expensive Quick, effective, cheap $5/day (a good salary) Crushed rock, a layer of cement… A very nice floor

Survival (a.k.a. Funding): 

Survival (a.k.a. Funding) VCs (it’s the money stupid) Difficult value-equation sell Angel Investors (money + ?) What’s the hook and how do you pitch it? Boot-strapping (when all else fails…) Business has to be opportunity driven IcoPods, DecaPods, PlayPods, GrowPods, ShadePods, ShowPods, ReliefPods Barcelona, Pakistan, the next disaster Out of left field

Start-up Reality: 

Start-up Reality A ‘crisis a day’ – If it can go wrong, it will. Until there is a sustainable revenue stream, the future of a boot-strapped start-up is at risk every single day. Progress has to happen If you aren’t moving forward, you’re dying.

Building Icosa Village Inc.: 

Building Icosa Village Inc. Entrepreneurial spirit: essential to sustain the effort Optimistic in the face of bad odds Emotionally detached from success or failure Capable of decision making when only 40% of the facts are known Must to be self-motivating The Pods “have a life of their own” If you only see what’s planned, you will miss opportunities Boot-strapping you are opportunity driven Risk & Risk Analysis Ethics constrain your options Creating a ‘Buzz’: Marketing “with no budget” Leverage the Internet & third-parties Apply the right technology to each problem

Icosa’s Five-Year Journey: 

Icosa’s Five-Year Journey