The journey from a first class honours degree in Product Design and Technology (PDT), to being behind a product to make the front cover of Time Magazine, has been one of excellence for University of Limerick alumnus Jonathan O’Toole.
Graduating in 2010, Jonathan founded ‘Fresh Product Designs’ as he furthered his education through a PhD at UL - a period he described as “the first time I was interacting and working with people as passionate and excited by great design and intelligent thinking as I was.”
However Ireland was deep in recession, so a three-year stint at Dyson in the UK and Malaysia set Jonathan up with valued expertise and development ahead of joining Elvie – and it is there that the UL graduate has made his mark.
Since 2014, Jonathan has been part of their success story and a company that “is bringing women’s technology out of the dark ages”.
Elvie wants “to improve women’s lives through smarter technology. We create new products, new solutions and a fair few conversations while we’re at it.” They say that they are committed to talking candidly about women’s bodies in order to give them the products they deserve.
One of these breakthrough products has been the development of the world’s first silent wearable breast pump – herald by Time Magazine as amongst the 100 best inventions of 2019.
The product “Elvie Pump makes it possible to pump on your own terms - at home, at work or on-the-go. Ditch the hours spent hidden in cupboards, tethered to a wall or cleaning tubes. With Elvie Pump you can lead the meeting, get outside or simply enjoy some peace and quiet... all while you pump.”
Jonathan, as chief product officer and chief operating officer, said that he is immensely proud of the team and their work across their entire suite of products, but it is intelligent design that sparks most with the Elvie COO.
Jonathan writes, “through intelligent design we all can create products and experiences that will positively affect not only the user directly but the world indirectly. We need to create honest designs that improve people’s lives and therefore deserve to exist in an intelligent world.”
- Andrew Carey
See more at elvie.com