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    Juiceboxx Solves Common Problem for Mac Users

    Cable fray. It’s the enemy of many a MacBook user. Wrapping the cable around the charger causes it to eventually split or fray. After purchasing a few too many chargers, two OSU students decided it was time to do something about it.

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    Lucas Williamson and Scott Scherpenberg created Juiceboxx, Inc., a company centered around power protection, that’s looking to release their first product and come to the rescue of fellow MacBook users.

    Williamson went through three chargers for his Mac, which at around $80 a pop, incurred a significant expense. After borrowing and breaking another charger from Scherpenberg, he’d had enough.

    “We need to do something about this,” Williamson thought. “It was really frustrating in a comedic kind of way.” A common frustration among MacBook users, a team Juiceboxx survey found that about 40 percent of people were having issues with their chargers as well.

    Using their knowledge of industrial design, the Juiceboxx team created a solution – a stylish yet protective case for MacBook chargers. The plastic case fits around the charger creating a safety loop that provides a  better angle for the cord to be wrapped. The break point on most cords is near the base and the device serves to straighten out the cord in this spot before it’s wrapped, eliminating any sharp angles.

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    Taught angles become problematic when users toss their cords in their bags to be bent and bumped. The duo says most people don’t just throw their computers around, so why their chargers?

    “It encourages better handling,” Scherpenberg says of their new device.

    Juiceboxx  says the device also offers another way for Mac users to customize their computers, in addition to already popular computer covers. The company wants to keep it simple, initially releasing the case in six to eight colors, but has future plans to diversity its lineup.

    However, one of the biggest advantages to Juiceboxx’s product is price. Aiming for a retail cost of $15.99, the device will offer a significant savings over buying a new charger.

    Team Juiceboxx utilized many of the resources available for budding entrepreneurs at Ohio State to build their brand. A win at the fall Business Builders Club Pitch Competition put their plans into high gear.

    “We were able to use our resources from OSU and product design to bring it to a real world product,” Williamson says of their experience. The company has created several professional prototypes and is looking to take the next step.

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    A recently launched Kickstarter campaign will provide the funds necessary to actually manufacture the product. Team Juiceboxx plans on doing the injection molding and production locally, keeping dollars in the Columbus economy, and allowing them to monitor manufacturing.

    The team performed extensive research on other campaigns – about 2,500 – before launching their own. They aim to avoid a common pitfall that many successful Kickstarter companies run into. Many brands have been destroyed by not delivering what was promised or producing a sub-par product.

    Post-campaign, Juiceboxx hopes to roll out the product by October with an already calculated avenue for sales.

    “Wholesale will be the biggest route to market,” Williamson says. They will also target direct sales and some local stores.

    For more information, visit getjuiceboxx.com

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    Susan Post
    Susan Post
    Susan is the editor of The Metropreneur and associate editor of Columbus Underground, and also covers small business and entrepreneurial news and the food scene in Central Ohio.Susan holds a degree in Communication with a minor in Professional Writing from The Ohio State University. She sits on the board of the Central Ohio Pro Chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists and loves coffee, whiskey, cooking and spending time with friends and family.
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