A VENTURE PROGRAMME SUCCESS STORY
Ruupi’s brand new application allows real-time interior design
Imagine the simplicity of interior design powered by a VR-based application. You are wearing a pair of VR glasses, and by clicking on a controller you can change anything in the room you are standing in. That is Ruupi’s headline offer – with many more features behind the scenes!
Designing a home, furniture or planning its layout is a challenging task with many iterations. You need experts from different fields and a lot of time to find the perfect-fitting furniture. And seeing something on paper or a screen is never like it is in real life. This is the main problem Ruupi’s solution is aiming to solve. Users can profit from the application as homeowners, real estate agents, furniture manufacturers or even as home designers. The new perspective Ruupi gives makes the designing process realistic, fun and much easier. Edgaras Glušnevas, the CEO of the company summarises: “Ruupi is a great tool for brand name furniture or interior decor shops, especially those which have limited space or no space at all. We started our project because we didn't find many solutions that can show furniture at your place before you buy them,” says Edgaras about the idea behind the project.
The designing process with Ruupi is simple: users make a 360° image with a camera or a phone, then upload it to the Ruupi platform. At this point, the real fun begins. Wearing the VR glasses and using a simple controller, users can see the room and fill it with furniture from the integrated item library. As the photos of the room are stored in the app, there is no need to visit the room itself any time a user wants to make some design changes. After placing the furniture in their proper positions, a list of items can be downloaded. It simplifies the ordering process.
The team behind Ruupi is colourful: founders came from different fields, but they found a project that integrates furniture design and AR/VR technologies. Now they are working on new connections with furniture manufacturers to build up a bigger item library. Parallelly they are seeking technology development. Involving more and more manufacturers makes not just the library bigger, but the number of possibilities too. It helps users find the best furniture, and manufacturers reach their potential customers too.
With the support of EIT Digital’s Venture Program, Ruupi has reached the first milestones of incorporation and stepping onto the international market. Their international representation is sustained by participating in fairs and events organised by EIT Digital or other institutions. During this challenging but memorable phase, a business angel helps the founders onboard. As the team is currently looking for further business opportunities and partners, their main focus is on development and sales.
Click here for more information on the Venture Programme 2020
