Mario Aguilera may currently reside in Helsinki, but he’s originally from Bolivia. He first got the idea for a line of solar-powered back-packs from his days in the Bolivian army. While training with special forces, Mario and his unit would spend many days deployed in remote areas. The only reason they had to return to base was to charge their equipment. That’s when he began thinking about wearable technologies that could expand battery life.
Tespack provides a line of designer, wearable technology accessories, such as backpacks, that use solar energy to power devices like laptops and mobile phones. Harnessing the natural energy of the sun, the Tespack wearables provide a continuous power source for devices and is built to withstand rugged outdoors and extreme weather conditions. The company blends fashion with technology and military-grade endurance.
Designer wearable tech is something new for me, but I found Mario’s idea fascinating and certainly practical. My personal interest in this product is my ability to get lost on long trail runs or overnight hikes and have a wearable technology product keep my gear charged and ready to go. This product clearly presents an opportunity for large consumer markets. As a limited partner of True Ventures, who are the largest investors in Fitbit, this is an area I’m watching closely.
Mario has plenty of background in the clothing industry to support the sleek design of his products. We may both be learning a few new things together, but I think the challenge for Mario will be focusing his growth potential when there are so many directions he could take this company. That is a challenge I understand well, and I look forward to helping him make some smart growth decisions to push forward his smart wearables.
Mario already has a seed round of funding. This trip will help him expand his contacts for the next round as well as make some important contacts in the manufacturing sector and in consumer products and retail sales here in Silicon Valley.
“Tespack has experienced rapid growth internationally, and with that growth comes big challenges such as manufacturing, design and distribution channels,” said Mario. “This opportunity comes at just the right time for my company, and I’m looking forward to high-impact learning with Neal on how to manage a high-growth consumer company.”
Welcome, Mario! Twitter: @aguileramario
