Reykjavik, Iceland -- (SBWIRE) -- 11/18/2014 -- The Icelandic startup RoRo was founded in 2011 by Eyrun Eggertsdottir, mother of two turned entrepreneur from Iceland with a background in psychology.
RoRo, which name originates from the Icelandic word Ró and means calmness, was created around a single concept; to make a product for babies that imitated closeness when their parents had to be away. This developed into the Lulla doll. “The idea of the Lulla doll was born when my friend had her baby girl prematurely and had to leave her at the hospital every night for two weeks. That really struck a chord with me as I had studied how vital the presence of caregivers can be for newborns and even more so for preemies” comments Eyrun.
The Lulla doll is definitely not your average plush doll. This unique doll aims to help babies and toddlers sleep longer, improve well-being and lead to more stable heart & respiratory rates. The concept is based on scientific research on closeness and has been in development for three years with the help of doctors, nurses, midwifes and engineers in collaboration with the inventor, Eyrun.
The Lulla doll imitates closeness with its soft natural touch and by playing a real life recording of heartbeat and breathing. The doll is thoughtfully designed with human features as it has been shown that babies from as young as two days old prefer to look at something that resembles a human face. The look of the doll and selection of color is gender and race neutral so it can be suitable for anyone. As the doll is made from natural cotton it can absorb the smell of parents for extra comfort. “We recommend the parents keep the doll next to their skin before giving it to the child, so their smell is transferred. That can really give small children a feeling of presence and safety.” adds Eyrun.
There are a variety of soothers with sounds on the market that claim to soothe babies to sleep. However, the Lulla doll is completely different. It is not only meant to help babies fall asleep but also to help babies stay asleep for longer and improve the quality of sleep with natural sounds. Most plush soothers with sounds play white noise, sonar womb sounds, artificial heartbeats or even the sounds of whales. They also usually play for 25-45 minutes or are sound activated. On the other hand, the Lulla doll has a playtime of 8 hours so it can sleep with the baby through the night.
During development the Lulla doll has received numerous awards for both innovation and design as well as positive feedback from users in testing. The concept won the Golden Egg innovation award in Iceland in 2011. Only a prototype still, the doll has been shortlisted for two baby product design awards. The company was also chosen as one of the top 25 interesting startups on the verge of takeoff by Free Market (Frjáls verslun) the leading business magazine in Iceland since 1939 two years in row.
Now, Eyrun and her momprenuer team have finished development financed with grants and investors but need additional funding for the first production. They are taking a route that many startups have chosen, crowdfunding. They have already launched on Indiegogo and are well on their way of successfully funding this innovation.
The crowdfunding campaign is also connected to a charity. Of each Lulla doll sold there is a donation to UNICEF of special nourishment milk for children in need. “I feel it is important to give back and the core of the company is about helping children, so I felt it was only natural to use this opportunity to give back.” says Eyrun. In the spirit of giving back, they want to give back even more if the campaign surpasses their funding goals, with special care packages with medication, school supplies and other necessities that UNICEF gives out to children in need all over the world.
More information about the dolls and the Indiegogo funding can be found at https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/lulla-doll-sleep-companion-for-babies-toddlers
Contact information:
Solveig Gunnarsdottir
+354 663 8585
solveig@rorocare.com
http://rorocare.com
Company address:
RoRo
Hverfisgata 115
101 Reykjavík
Iceland