Discovery and development of a cost-effective pest-monitoring device
BACKGROUND
Bed bugs are most commonly found in environments with transient human populations (such as hotels) as they are attracted to humans and readily hitch rides in suitcases. They can cause severe reputational damage to hospitality venues as they feed on human blood and can cause allergic reactions. Successful eradication can cost up to $60,000 AUD.
Established populations are difficult to eradicate as they are small and difficult to spot, hide in cracks and crevices, lay hundreds of eggs, and can survive for months without food. Early detection is crucial for bed bug management, but existing solutions an ineffective, rely on luck, and require physical inspection by untrained personnel.
Our client identified the development of a reliable long-term monitoring product as a significant commercial opportunity. They needed a reliable discovery and development team with strong scientific rigour to develop a credible and commercially viable solution rapidly.
OUR WORK
Key results
In a remarkable span of 15 months, we have developed a patented smart product capable of detecting bed bugs in less than 3 hours. To validate the product, we conducted extensive and prolonged pilot projects in hotels throughout Australia. With successful validation, the device is now prepared for mass manufacturing and deployment within a targeted market segment.
We initially helped our client identify their chosen opportunity based on market analysis.
We developed a smart product that integrates a physical device, attractive lure, cloud and AI platform, and user software to satisfy the ‘set and forget’ preference of consumers.
Design decisions were based on bed bug behaviour and were experimentally validated using real bed bugs whose colonies we established, grew, and maintained.
We rigorously tested the product during development across hundreds of experiments and experimental conditions in simulated environments that we designed and constructed.
We completed a 6-month long field trial across several cities and hospitality venue types throughout Australia for ‘real world’ product validation and to gather consumer feedback.
Following several prototypes, we produced a smart product that is ready for mass manufacturing and deployment in a selected market segment.
The product reliably captured bed bugs with an average time to first detection of 108-minutes. This significantly outmatched competitor products which rarely captured any.
The product was validated in a field trial, resulting in a more robust and customer-centric solution. Spiders, silverfish, beetles, and cockroaches were identified in 69% of devices.
We developed strong relationships with industry professionals and potential customers, representing potential first avenues to market.
We are supporting our client in selecting the first market segment they intend to address through market validation and business development, focusing on initial product sales.
The device will be mass manufactured and deployed after selecting a market segment.
Services included…
Technology scouting and landscaping
IP scouting and due diligence
Technical due diligence
Market analysis, market intelligence, and go-to-market strategy
Prototype design, construction, and setup
Design and execution of R&D programs
Design and execution of pilot programs
Design and construction of simulated environments
Commercialisation and commercial case development
Business case and venture design
Digital twin development
AI and cloud computing
Benchmarking and validation
Customer trials and feedback
Technology development and scale-up planning
IP opportunity identification and protection
Technical Handbook development
Know-how and design protection
Strategic partner identification
Risk management and mitigation
Investment pitch and investor management
CLIENT STATEMENT
“Working with Scimita Ventures has been a positive and impressive experience. From the beginning, they delivered outcomes in a timely and thorough manner, which instilled a great sense of trust in their capabilities. Unlike other organizations where you feel the need to manage the process, Scimita Ventures took charge and executed the project flawlessly. The communication throughout the project was exceptional, and we were consistently impressed with their level of professionalism.
Their solution exceeded our expectations, especially with the development of a bed bug trap that works exceptionally well without a lure. The thoroughness and scientific rigor they applied throughout the project were commendable.
The services provided by Scimita Ventures have fully satisfied our needs. From the initial stages, it was clear that they had a strong focus on commercialization, which was exactly what we needed. The team’s can-do attitude and their commitment to achieving a commercial outcome set them apart from our previous experiences with research-focused organizations.”