Startup Q&A - Supervek Enters the eCommerce Realm with Eye-Catching Wallets
There’s always three things that someone always leaves their house with; their keys, their phone (maybe with a pair of headphones) and their wallet.
Supervek is a startup that just launched in Boston that is selling stylish, but also convenient wallets designed to hold large amounts of cash, cards, receipts, and other related objects.
We spoke with company Co-Founder Dhruv Bhardwaj about how the company was founded in India, and why they decided to take the plunge and launch overseas. He also went into detail about what kinds of events the company attends to promote their products...and it’s not the typical kind of “tech startup showcase” events!
Colin Barry [CB]: I’m a big fan of the phrase “origin story.” What are the origins of Supervek?
Dhruv Bhardwaj [DB]: Supervek was started by four friends. Growing up together in India, we noticed how heavily our decisions relied on meeting social expectations. We wanted to inspire people to stop trying to blend in simply because they were expected to, but instead to embrace their inner personality. For this reason, we launched a consumer lifestyle brand that did not make conventional products that have been in use for decades. Supervek spreads the message through alternative products that challenge the norm and give people a platform to showcase their individuality.
The diverse professional backgrounds of the four co-founders, including myself, ranging from branding and design to investment research, web development and financial consulting were instrumental in helping us launch and grow Supervek over the last two years.
I am really excited about Supervek's launch in the Boston area.
CB: What is the ultimate goal of Supervek?
DB: Our goal is simple - To Encourage our users worldwide to break away from the mainstream - We want to celebrate the power of the individual. Each of our products is designed and created in-house with this vision in mind.
CB: Explain what your company does.
DB: Supervek is a brand of Innovative Lifestyle Products that are designed and manufactured in-house. We launched our flagship product - The Superwallet, and have expanded our range to over five accessories in over 70 designs and counting. We are a PETA approved vegan brand and all our products are 100% recyclable.
Over the years we have sold tens of thousands of products to buyers around the world. We have a pipeline of some new and exciting products to launch in the next 18 months.
We started Supervek as a bootstrapped project with the Superwallet. The Superwallet was launched to replace leather wallets as a thinner, lighter and vegan alternative. The amazing response that we have received from our buyers around the world has encouraged us to grow the team and our product offering. We have since launched Travel Wallets and Passport Holders, Superslim Wallets, and the Classic Superwallet. We have also made custom wallets in order for companies such as Google.
CB: Why choose to make wallets? How long does it take to build them? Who helps design them?
DB: Wallets were the perfect choice to start with. Over the decades, the wallet industry had hardly changed. It was given that a Bifold wallet would be a Leather wallet that mostly came in just two colors - black or brown. Despite multiple drawbacks such as the weight, bulkiness, non-breathability and the animal cruelty, the leather wallet market only seemed to grow. We launched Supervek with the Superwallet - a wallet that not only functions better than a leather wallet - but also allows people to stand out with the design they carry. Our products are designed by our creative team and manufactured in-house. Each Supervek product is handmade with care to ensure a lasting product and great end-user experience.
We do plan to expand our product range beyond wallets in our future releases. Since each product is designed and manufactured in-house, a new product release is the culmination of months of R&D and prototyping to give our users a finished product that is specifically designed to make their lives simpler. We don't believe in buying products off the shelf, and it reflects in our user experience from the shipping envelopes to the custom packaging that our merchandise comes in.
CB: How big is the team? Looking to hire any particular position in the upcoming months?
DB: Over the years we have grown the team from 4 to 12. To ensure a faster product release time, we recently hired a full-time product designer. With our launch in the USA, we are actively looking to add to the marketing and operations team here.
CB: Has your company participated in any trade shows/meetup events in the Boston area? What about events outside of Boston?
DB: Since arriving in Boston, I have regularly attended the Cafe Nights by Venture Cafe. I love the vibe and how people here are helpful and welcoming! Previously, we have participated in all major comic convention events in India over the last three years, in addition to being merchandise sponsors for some of India's leading college and skateboarding festivals.
CB: I’m always interested in how a startup came up with its name. How did Supervek get its name?
DB: We wanted the name to represent the vision of an alternative lifestyle as well as the high-quality products that we make. The Name Supervek is derived from the Sanskrit Word Pravek - which means excellent and the word Vek in Croatian which means an Era. We coined Supervek to symbolize ushering in a new era - a new wave of excellent products for a new lifestyle.
CB: How does the company come up with these, admittingly, pretty cool designs?
DB: Through our artist collaborations, we have partnered with artists from over seven countries to showcase their work on our products. As we continue to look for outstanding brands and individuals to collaborate within the coming months, We are also eager to hear suggestions and ideas for new products from the community. Anyone looking to reach us can write to us on support@supervek.com.
