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Georgia-Pacific’s 1915 Studios will continue its support of Luys Systems, one of five companies that participated in its summer 2021 inaugural 1915 Studios startup accelerator program. Support includes engineering resources, commercialization support for future manufacturing, and help with initial tooling and unit production.

Luys, which is Armenian for “light,” develops and manufactures smart building products. Its principal product is a Rest Room Occupant Indicator — a battery-powered, bathroom sensor for individual stalls or restrooms using an LED light (red or green) to signify if the area is vacant or occupied. In addition to providing this convenient occupancy status for restroom patrons who could be navigating crowded, high-traffic areas, such as stadiums, airports or office buildings, Luys’ patented system also includes sensors for facility managers to capture usage, servicing information and environmental trend data. 

“1915 Studios equipped us with stronger positioning as a startup through its knowledge sharing from industry experts and engineering support,” says Daniel Castellano, CEO of Luys Systems. “The chance to continue this relationship with additional commercialization support from Georgia-Pacific is critically important as we aim for further traction of our product with new customers.” 

1915 Studios is a partnership between startup accelerator gener8tor and Georgia-Pacific. The partnership was announced in early 2021 and is a pre-accelerator for early-stage companies. The program provides individualized coaching and access to gener8tor’s national network of mentors, potential customers, corporate partners, and investors. 1915 Studios operates from space in Georgia-Pacific’s Consumer Products Research and Development Center in Neenah, Wisconsin, a facility of more than 250 scientists, engineers and technicians. 

“Georgia-Pacific’s 1915 Studios is focused on supporting startups that drive transformative innovation and anticipate evolving customer needs,” says Darin Driessen, director of R&D Open Innovation at Georgia-Pacific and managing director of 1915 Studios. “Our goal is to help bring the fresh perspectives and knowledge of these startups to market so together we can create solutions that help improve people’s lives.” 

The second 1915 Studios cohort is planned for early 2022 and will focus on companies in the food technology space that are primarily centered on meal and food preparation, food storage and food waste prevention. Companies interested in learning more about joining this cohort can click here.