FoldiMate

FoldiMate has created a machine that automatically folds laundry.

This "smart" machine folds everything from shirts, to blouses, to towels and pillowcases. It can fold a machine load of clothes and towels in less than 5 minutes.

Business Insider called this machine “The best smart-home device we saw at CES 2019.”

And an early customer who tested the product noted “I would take it home today if I could.”

In just three years, FoldiMate has achieved significant progress:

• It’s raised more than $8 million from investors including BSH Home Appliances Group, the company behind major home appliance brands Bosch and Siemens.

• It’s been awarded or filed a dozen patents, including ones for its machine’s folding methods, mechanisms, and overall design.

• And secured pre-order payments from more than 12,000 customers.

In addition, it’s developed multiple prototypes of its product, and is on track to launch its machine commercially within the next 12 to 18 months.

FoldiMate’s ultimate goal is to simplify every household chore by introducing automatic, robotic technology. And its initial focus is on one of the most tedious, time-consuming tasks: folding laundry.

Every day, an estimated 500 million items of clothing in the U.S. are folded by hand. On average, an American family spends two hours per week doing laundry, with much of that time spent folding clothes and towels.

Meanwhile, advances in automated technology like washing machines, dryers, dishwashers, and more recently, robotic vacuums, have already disrupted other common household chores.

But there isn’t a viable automated solution to the tedious, time-consuming task of folding laundry. Current solutions are either massive in size (machines for industrial use only), limited in variety (meaning they can only fold specific items), or expensive (some folding machines can start at $15,000).

FoldiMate’s machine offers a practical, versatile, affordable solution. Its machines are:

Efficient: Can fold laundry twice as fast as a person doing it by hand, and can fold a full machine load in less than 5 minutes.

Family-Friendly: The machine enables kids and adults to easily and safely load clothes.

Versatile: The machine can fold most types of shirts, blouses, and pants, plus standard size towels and pillowcases.

Intelligent: The machine senses the article of clothing that’s been inserted, and adjusts the folding technique automatically.

Simple: The machine fits in a laundry room, bedroom, or living room, and requires only a power outlet to operate.

FoldiMate began developing its initial prototype in 2016. Later that year, the company was accepted into the Plug and Play accelerator program. This program helps seed-stage startups fine tune their ideas and business models. And it’s invested in more than 60 early-stage companies that have gone on to achieve successful “exits.”

In 2017 and 2018, FoldiMate further developed its technology and completed an updated prototype. In addition, it began extensive market research, placing the machines in the homes of 28 families.

Based on this research, the company is now working on an upgraded, smaller-sized prototype that is estimated to be ready for production by summer 2019. Once field testing is completed with this final prototype, FoldiMate plans to fully launch its machine within the next 12 to 18 months.

Sales will begin in the U.S. through the company's website and Amazon. Each machine will retail for $999, though FoldiMate believes early units may cost between $1,500 and $2,000 due to production volume limitations.

As production increases, the company will sell to additional countries, and introduce its machines in brick-and-mortar retailers.

Initially, FoldiMate will target individual homes. Then, through potential partnerships, the company will sell its machines to the more than 200,000 laundromats and shared laundry rooms. From there, it will expand to commercial laundry facilities, hotels, and clothing stores.

Long-term, FoldiMate’s goal is to automate the entire laundry process by developing machines that reduce wrinkles, treat specific fabrics, and sort clothes into piles.

Team Background

Alon Naim - Head of R&D

Alon has a background in mechanical engineering, and has spent more than two decades focused on Research & Development.

He managed R&D teams at Applied Materials, a manufacturing company that supplies semiconductor chips for electronics, and Pythagoras Solar, a manufacturing company producing energy efficient building materials.

Throughout his career, he’s developed projects for leading manufacturing companies including General Motors (NYSE: GM).

Alon earned a Master’s degree in Mechanical Engineering from Tel Aviv University.

Gal Rozov - Founder & CEO

Gal has more than 20 years of managerial and technological experience. During that time, he’s worked in areas including software, technology, marketing, and business.

He was a product manager for Israel Aerospace Industries, Israel’s top aerospace and aviation manufacturer producing systems for both military and civilian use.

For more than four years, he was a team leader for Matrix, an Israel-based IT services company. In addition, he was a digital architect for Ness Technologies, another IT services company.

Gal was a technology leader and implementor for Aladdin, a security software company that was acquired by SafeNet.

He earned a Bachelor’s degree in Business Management from Ha’Universita Ha’Pethua, and a Bachelor’s in Software Engineering from Amal B College.

Sharona Miron - Chief Financial Officer

Prior to working for FoldiMate, Sharona spent 18 years in the financial industry.

She was a CPA for Ernst & Young, a professional services company, and was Chief Financial Officer for Final, an Israel-based data research company.

She earned a Bachelor’s degree in Accounting and Finance from The College of Management Academic Studies.

Debbie Cohen-Abravanel - Chief Marketing Officer

Debbie has nearly 20 years of experience in product marketing and business development.

She managed teams at Aladdin and Clarizen, a project management software company.

Isaac Naor - Chief Technology Officer

Isaac is an expert in motion control design, development, and system engineering.

He was VP of R&D for CoreFlow, a company producing semiconductors. In addition, he was Mechanics Group Manager for Lasercomm, a company that developed a product for the fiber optics industry.

Isaac founded engineering companies eshel design and ETROG, and developed projects for leading companies including HP Indigo, Orbotech, and Applied Materials.

He earned a Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering from Tel Aviv University.

Ori Kaplan - Chief Operating Officer

Prior to working at FoldiMate, Ori was Director of Product Support for Stratasys, a mechanical and industrial engineering company. Before that, he was Vice President of Operations for Trackimo, a company producing a GPS-equipped device that enables users to locate their personal items.

Ori previously worked with Alon at Pythagoras Solar, serving as VP of Operations. In addition, he was Director of Operations for Entopia, a facilities and services company.

He earned a Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering from the Israel Institute of Technology, and an MBA from Tel Aviv University.

Co-Investors

BSH Home Appliances Group

Europe’s largest manufacturer of home appliances, including brands like Bosch and Siemens.