Canopi wanted to bring an at-home solution for growing fresh spirulina to the market. After a successful launch on Kickstarter in 2022, Canopi approached Morrama for support developing their initial prototype into a production ready product with consideration for user experience, function and manufacture.
The outcome of the project was a refined design developed from their initial concept, with an enhanced experience to seamlessly fit into the health-conscious users routine.
Spirulina is a highly nutritious superfood algae that grows naturally in warm freshwater lakes and ponds, particularly where it can get a lot of sunlight. It has been consumed fresh for centuries and is a rich source of protein and vitamins B1, B2, B3, zinc, magnesium, potassium, manganese and calcium.
Dry spirulina is available as a supplement in the form of a powder, however the bio-availability of the nutrients drops to just 2-3% when it is dried compared to when it is consumed fresh.
Canopi's product artificially creates the natural environment that fresh spirulina thrives in, by carefully controlling, monitoring and adjusting the light, temperature and agitation it is exposed to. By adding a simple starter culture to the water tank, the user can grow fresh spirulina at the touch of a button. To consume the spirulina once it is ready, the user strains the contents through a harvesting cup to remove excess liquid.
The Morrama team identified a key insight in the early stages of the project that guided the refinement of the design throughout. It was critical that user would be able to harvest their spirulina daily, as this would better fit within their routine and align with daily supplement taking rituals. The project therefore focus on the development of the design elements such as the harvesting cup and extraction experience to enable seamless daily harvesting. The full project developed Canopi's initial prototype into a production ready product with an optimised user experience.
As a key member of the project team at Morrama, I was involved throughout all stages of this project from Initial Concept Design, Prototyping & Testing to Detailed CAD & Design for Manufacture.
Concept Design
Prototyping & Testing
CAD Modelling
Design for Manufacture
Designed at Morrama