- Accelerated
MIRNIX HOCKEY: Hockey equipment dryer that solves every dressing room problem
Every hockey player knows the feeling. Wet kit after training, a lack of space at home, endless drying and an unpleasant smell. It was from this personal experience that the startup MIRNIX HOCKEY was born, focusing on the development of innovative equipment for hockey players. During acceleration at PrusaLab, the team developed The Hooking product – a smart system for drying, storing and transporting kit – transforming it from a functional concept into a product ready for mass production, sales and further growth.
Start-up
MIRNIX HOCKEY – Tomáš Mulač, Matěj Raiter
Region
Sports equipment, product design, 3D printing
Year of Acceleration
2024
Aim of the programme
Development of a functional prototype ready for series production
An idea born in the changing rooms
Some startups are born in laboratories or offices. MIRNIX HOCKEY was born in a hockey dressing room.
Tomáš Mulač and Matěj Raiter knew the everyday problems associated with drying and storing kit all too well. Hockey equipment takes up a lot of space, dries poorly, is difficult to transport, and requires both time and space after every training session.
Yet there was still a lack of a solution on the market that was sufficiently compact, durable, and at the same time simple to use. That is exactly what they decided to change.
From concept to product
The team joined the PrusaLab Hardware Accelerator with a working prototype and the feeling that most of the work was already behind them.
„We thought we were done. PrusaLab showed us how much work was still ahead of us,“ recalls Matěj Raiter.
It soon became clear that it was not enough to create a product that worked. It was necessary to solve production, logistics, packaging, design and the business model.
It is right here that the value of the acceleration became fully apparent.
The Hooking
The result is The Hooking – a compact system for hanging, transporting and drying complete ice hockey gear.
The product helps to organise kit clearly, speeds up drying after a training session or match, and saves space when storing.
Mobility also played an important role. The solution is lightweight, durable and easily portable to suit ice hockey players when moving between the arena, home and tournaments.
3D printing as a rapid development tool
One of the key tools during the acceleration was 3D printing.
The team used Original Prusa printers and Prusament materials to quickly verify design solutions and manufacture functional prototypes. As a result, they were able to continuously test different variants and improve the product.
Some of the printed components subsequently became part of the initial production runs.
The ability to rapidly iterate the design without having to invest in expensive production tooling significantly accelerated the entire development process.
A design that lasts
A significant role in the development was played by industrial designer Jakub Stedina, a two-time Red Dot Award winner.
His role was not only to design the product's appearance, but above all to ensure proper ergonomics, proportions, and user-friendliness.
The result is a product that looks professional, is easy to use and, at the same time, meets the needs of active sportspeople.
Acceleration as an accelerated business course
Alongside the product itself, the acceleration also helped with the commercial side of the project.
The founders consulted logistics with experts from DHL Express, financial planning with Jiří Vízek, business strategy with Jaroslav Trojan, marketing with Bob Tetiva and intellectual property protection with the Machů IP law firm.
Thanks to this, they gained not only a production-ready product, but also a clearer idea of how to build a long-term, viable business.
Unipap also played an important role, helping to design packaging that doubles as a display stand for high-street shops.
Demo Day and the first series
The development culminated at the final PrusaLab Demo Day.
Right here, the team introduced the first limited series FIRST100, and the product went on sale immediately.
It was no longer just a prototype or a concept. The Hooking was ready for real customers and its first market trial.
The project also caught the attention of Josef Průša, who decided to support the startup's further development with an investment in the next phase of growth.
From Czech cloakrooms to foreign markets
The investment enabled the team to continue product development, increase production capacity and prepare for expansion into other countries.
Whilst the first phase of the project focused primarily on testing the product amongst Czech ice hockey players, the next steps are aimed at building a wider distribution network and reaching out to foreign markets.
Yet the product's potential is significant. The need for effective drying and storage of equipment is not specific only to Czech ice hockey, but is a challenge faced by players all over the world.
About the Founders
Tomáš Mulač and Matěj Raiter are not merely entrepreneurs, but above all active ice hockey players.
It was precisely their personal experience with the daily use of the equipment that enabled them to identify a problem that most players considered to be a given part of the sport.
Instead of resigning themselves to the current state of affairs, they decided to create their own solution.
Result
MIRNIX HOCKEY shows that innovation does not only have to originate in high-tech sectors. Sometimes it is enough to know a daily problem well and have the courage to look for a better solution.
During the acceleration, the project journeyed from a functional concept to a mass-production-ready product. The final design was created, manufacturing processes were verified, the business model was established, and initial sales were launched.
Today, The Hooking marks the first step on the journey towards building a brand that aims to make life easier for ice hockey players and bring smart solutions to an environment that is often overlooked. For PrusaLab, MIRNIX HOCKEY is further proof that the combination of expert mentoring, technology and a dedicated team can turn a good idea into a real product.
