Christian Käser and Linus Lingg have developed a water bottle that produces sparkling water on the go at the touch of a button. To bring their idea to market, the two former students of the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Zurich (ETH) founded the ETH spin-off BottlePlus AG, based in Aarau.
The new bottle makes sparkling water with “a CO2 tank built into the base of the bottle”, explains Käser in an interview with the ETH. One full tank makes up to ten bottles of sparkling water. When it is empty, it can be refilled using the base station delivered with the set. The base station uses the same gas cylinders as existing carbonisation systems for home use.
While developing the idea to market maturity, Käser and Lingg faced several challenges. In the interview, they highlight the development of a design suitable for mass production and the consideration of numerous regulations and safety aspects. In addressing these challenges, the two young entrepreneurs received support from the ETH Lean Startup Academy course and the ETH Student Project House.
Käser explains that the startup company is currently “focusing on the large-scale production of the sparkling water bottle and hopes to start selling it soon”. There are also plans to expand the range to include flavors for the water as well as a filter system. To achieve these goals, Käser and Lingg are looking for additional investors. ce/hs
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