Start-up that began in Columbus, appeared on Shark Tank gets patent: ‘A pinch-yourself moment’
From presenting a fledgling product at a Columbus start-up boot camp in 2016 to being featured on an episode of a national television show in January 2020, the makers of the SlumberPod have had a busy few years.
The pair recently have reached another milestone with SlumberPod, a portable tent-like structure that blocks out light and fits over pack-and-plays, travel cribs and toddler beds.
The business, owned by Katy Mallory and her mom, Lou Childs, was issued a patent Oct. 12 from the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, the pair told the Ledger-Enquirer. The office issued U.S. Patent No. 11,140,997, a utility patent in the category of “Crib Accessory,” for SlumberPod.
“We couldn’t be more thrilled about receiving the patent,” Mallory, an Atlanta resident and mother of three, said. “Both because it’s a pinch-yourself moment, but it also will help us with protecting our idea in the marketplace.”
What the patent means
The patent means that SlumberPod’s competitors won’t be able to have a canopy that is free-standing, goes over a travel crib or toddler cot, or has a baby monitor pouch that’s accessible from the outside of the pod — product features that set SlumberPod apart from its competitors, Mallory said.
Receiving the patent took over five years, Mallory said, due to the amount of time it takes attorneys and patent examiners to sort out potential conflicts with existing patents.
“These are features that set us apart in the marketplace,” Mallory said. “And now we’re protected for having that combination of features.”
The product was born when Mallory experienced a couple of near-sleepless nights on a visit to her family’s home during the holidays.
Their invention landed them a $400,000 offer on Shark Tank from Barbara Corcoran in January 2020.
Now, more than 125,000 families have purchased the product, revenue has doubled year-over-year and is projected to more than double this year, Childs, a former Columbus resident and former Delta Data marketing director, said.
“It’s amazing that Katy and I, and a very small team, can accomplish these things,” Childs said. “We’ve learned a lot. We’ve had a ton of help along the way. ... I’m more than amazed at where we are today.”
What’s next?
The pair recently hired a product development lead who has “deep experience in the juvenile kid space,” Mallory said, with plans to launch several accessory products for the SlumberPod. Those products, expected to be released in the coming months, are in the prototyping, packaging and safety-testing phases, she said.
The pair is also working on a toddler apparel item.
“But we realize that we’ve had tremendous success with our SlumberPod core product, and we want to add on to that, especially as our brand has become very beloved by parents,” Mallory said.
Each SlumberPod sold through the website is shipped out of Columbus through Muscogee Mills, Inc., Mallory said.
The SlumberPods sell for $154.99 and can be bought on Amazon and more. SlumberPod also is sold from its website and more retailers in Canada, Australia, New Zealand and several countries in Asia.
This story was originally published October 28, 2021 at 2:35 PM.
