Press release - June P01

Transcription

1 Press release - June 2015

2 In association with an osteopathic clinic and innovative textile specialists we have developed the first intelligent second skins that stimulate the posture of our users. Recommended by osteopaths, Percko helps you fight against back pain by giving you the possibility to adopt the perfect posture all day long. Press release - June P01

3 About Percko The Start-up p03 Alexis et Quentin, founders Our story Our partners Back pain: a modern issue p04 The evil of the century Today s alternatives The product p05 The concept First testimonies Key dates and development p06 Contact Press release - June P02

4 Our Start-up Company founders: Alexis and Quentin Alexis (23) and Quentin (24) are both recent Engineering graduates (from EPFL in Switzerland and INSA Lyon) after receiving their Master degrees they decided to undertake a specialized Master s degree at the ESSEC Business School in entrepreneurial studies. What brought them together in 2014 is this slightly crazy idea of trying to revolutionize the lives of 80% of the world s population suffering from back pain. One is a web and marketing specialist, the other is responsible for the product development, together they make the perfect team. Our story The story of Percko started on the benches of the ESSEC business School in September The idea of the intelligent second skin was unfortunately influenced by Alexis father. He is a dentist and like all dentists he has back pain. Many people are in the same situation, they complain, but do nothing to solve the problem. After meeting with professionals from the field, the solution was clear: to resolve 80% of their problems all they had to do is adopt a perfect posture. To offer a very efficient system we decided from the start to reinforce the backs of the users by stimulating them, so that they adopt a perfect and lasting posture. Thanks to the subsidies we received, we managed to quickly finance our research and development program by approaching the best actors in the field. By surrounding ourselves with recognized professionals we managed to create and patent the Percko system and prove that in the long run our product allows a durable improvement of the posture. Our partners Cogitobio has helped us create the second skins; this has allowed optimizing the products efficiency. This French company has worked for over 15 years on the transfer of technologies from the fundamental research on the musculoskeletal system towards the industrial world. Although fairly unknown to general public it is thanks to their hard work that the seats for the SNCF (railway company) used by millions were made. Their partnership with Osteobio, a clinic that has more than consultations per year, has allowed us to test Percko products on a number of patients. Our other partner TOPTEXCUBE is a resources and skills center. Its goal is to accelerate and catalyze the industrial transformation with the help of new technologies. The company was born from the ambition of a handful of chief executive officers and engineers, who believed in today s potential of the European textile industry. With the help of new technologies, TOPTEXCUBE managed to make the Percko system invented by Cogitobio a reality. Press release - June P03

5 Back Pain 8out of 10 people will experience back pain at least once in their lifetime 36 % 27% feel back pain regularly 6 million consultations are done with a generalist practitioner each year 1 out of 2 children have back pain and sometimes as early as age people per day will not come to work because of back pain Between 1,5 and 2 billion $ per year are spent in France to treat back pain Lumbago is the number one reason for disability before the age of 45 Lumbago The evil of the century Described as the evil of the century, back pain affects 80% of the worldwide population and this number increases every year. The explanation given by health professionals on this constant growth is quite simple: in less than 100 years, we went from being always in a standing position to a sitting position. We were Homo erectus (the upright man) for about years and we became homo sedens (the seated man). Today, we spend more than 9 hours per day in a seated position. There are different types of back pain. In most cases, 80% of back pains are chronic but 20% are of inflammatory origin. The chronic back pain is often caused by an intense physical activity, bad posture or a shock. The pain is considered chronic when it lasts more than 3 months. A well-structured back can often diminish the chronic pain, because it s better prepared to face the challenges of life. When we slouch our body, we have a tendency to allow ourselves be carried away by gravity. The seated position is usually responsible for a bad posture and has a harmful impact on the structure of the back. A curved back has a bad impact on the muscles and damages them, exposing your back to the worst of pains. That is the start of a vicious cycle. Nowadays, modern medicine encourages physical effort against back pain. Although some years ago doctors would prescribe Sick leave, sometimes even long periods of rest to ease the back pain, today they prescribe their patients back reinforcement. Bed confinement is the worst treatment; in the long run it weakens the muscles and increases the pain. Today s alternatives So far not many solutions have been found to relieve back pain in our everyday life. A big part of the population is waiting for them but few French main actors in the field are interested. The well-being and health have experienced major upheaval. We can notice that there is real anticipation from people who wish to take care of their body everywhere and all the time. Press release - June P04

6 Our product The concept The team at Percko has created the first ever intelligent undershirt that stimulates your posture. This second skin supports your back so that you keep a perfect posture all day long. The way our products work is quite simple: when your back is in the upright position you feel all of the qualities of Percko s undershirt: it is hyper breathable, ultra-thin and very comfortable. But as soon as you start slouching, the Percko undershirt will immediately stimulate your back so that you straighten it. Traditional back support systems support the muscles by working in their stead. This effect is counterproductive because since they do all the work, these systems weaken the backs of their users. Percko does the opposite; it engages the backs of its users by activating most of the spinal column muscles, from the pelvis to the neck. Percko is a system that combines foams and tensors that will stretch and activate as soon as the user starts slouching. The Percko system is extremely innovative, and is patented internationally. The first testimonies «By concentrating on the moments when the back is stimulated in an obvious manner, we tend to forget the most important thing: 90% of the remaining time! These moments when we don t think about our posture, when watching a movie or when we work on a PC Percko guarantees the perfect posture all day long» François STEVIGNON, physiotherapist and osteopath «Percko offers products that are at the service of comfort, posture and balance» Awards Finalist in the contest Petitpoucet Finalist in the contest Zee Entrepreneurs. Pol Le Borgne, chief executive of Cogitobio In the finals of the contest Talent de la creation d entreprise 2015 (final in the end of June). Percko received funding from the BPI. Percko received funding from the PEIPS program. Press release - June P05

7 Key dates and development December 2015 first product delivery September 2015 Start of the crowd-funding campaign on Kickstarter June 2015 Opening of the website June 2015 Investment in Percko by ESSEC Ventures June 2015 International patent filing January-May Development of the product and tests on the users December 2014 We received public aid to accelerate the development of Percko products End of November 2014 Percko Company was created September 2014 The idea is born in the heads of Alexis and Quentin Press release - June P06

8 Quentin Perraudeau Alexis Ucko w w w. p e r c k o. c o Percko Percko