This year, 2020 has been special for each of us and we have had to show adaptation and resilience. For our part, the last twelve months have been full of challenges, which we have successfully overcome. This is why we are happy to share with our loyal community the 10 highlights of our 2020.

Happy reading!

1. Tests by the Hundred

To be able to deliver a device that meets our high-quality criteria and performs well in all circumstances, it must be tested. That’s why, since the beginning of the year, our product development team manufactured a total of four versions of Tero prototypes. Each more advanced than the next, these prototype have allowed us to perform different types of tests (use, performance, heat, UV rays, etc.) and to push the product even further each time. In total, a sequence of several hundred tests was performed.

2. An Engaged Community

Throughout 2020, we have been entitled to the constant support of a community committed to our project. With more than 30,000 subscribers on our various social platforms, we consider ourselves very fortunate to be able to count on so many people who believe in Tero. Thank you!

3. Dedicated User Testers

It was at the end of the summer that we began our testing period with six user testers chosen by our team. They used a Tero prototype for several weeks to assess its daily use. They had to complete custom tools and document their experience. This collaboration was very enriching for us and made it possible to target points of improvement on the product so that it is optimal. Here is the testimony of three of our user testers.

4. Prepare for Production

To produce the various custom parts needed to manufacture a complex and unique product like the Tero, our product development team finalized the design of production tooling, such as our molds for plastics and metal parts. To do this, we had to make sure that the product was actually finished, because the manufacturing time for this type of tooling is very long.

5. The Team is Growing

The Tero team has grown this year with the arrival of a Community Manager, Technical Director and Marketing Director. Several suppliers and partners have also joined the project. In total, more than 10 full-time people from different backgrounds are involved in the development of the Tero.

6. A Successful Presale

October 21 marked the launch of our online presale. While still in progress, our presale aims to meet the growing demand from the public for the Tero, but above all to plan our production in a responsible manner. The presale was a success from the start and we are very grateful about it. We have also added virtual gift cards available in several monetary values to suit all budgets.

If you want to know the difference between this presale and our 2019 Kickstarter crowdfunding campaign, click here. If you still haven’t reserved your Tero device, it’s not too late to do so by clicking here.

7. There are Talks About Tero

This year, we heard about Tero again in the media. The Planète Techno program on ICI Explora featured an interview with the two founders, Elizabeth and Valérie, as part of Waste Reduction Week. They were able to discuss the environment and the development of the Tero with the host Marie-Audrey Houle. Valérie also gave an interview to the radio show Des matins en or and to the daily Le Citoyen.

8. A Quebec Manufacturer

After several months of research, we finally chose our Quebec manufacturer who will assemble the Tero. In addition to assembling the devices, they will ensure the proper functioning of the production line and the optimization of all assembly stages. We are very proud to say that our Tero is entirely designed and manufactured in Quebec.

9. Filing of a Provisional Patent Application

Last March, we reached an important milestone in the filing of our patent, namely the filing of a provisional patent application. The Tero meets the three basic criteria for patentability: novelty, utility and inventive step. With the filing of our provisional patent application, we now have priority over this technological invention. The next steps for patentability will take place over the next year.

10. A Final Product

Yes! We made it. After conducting numerous tests, developing prototypes, each one more advanced than the last, meeting and overcoming certain engineering challenges, ordering our parts with long lead times, choosing our manufacturer and many other steps, we finally have the final Tero in hand. The next step for us is to begin the complete supply of components and pre-production of the Tero in order to begin the first deliveries* in the summer of 2021.

*Deliveries planned for summer 2021 are those of the pre-ordered Tero devices during the Kickstarter crowdfunding campaign. Delivery of pre-ordered devices during the 2020 presale is scheduled for fall 2021. 

We are very proud to have taken all these steps and this retrospective of the year 2020 allows us to enter the year 2021 with confidence. The next twelve months will be exciting, as they mark the long-awaited arrival of the Tero in your homes. We can’t wait to start deliveries and offer you a solution to transition to an eco-responsible lifestyle.

By: Claudia Larose