Established in 2017, Jump Into Reality has the ambitious vision to lead way in the VR & AR space. Our first product, JUMP into DESIGN®, is a cloud-based platform that aims to make interior design easy and affordable for professionals, consumers and furniture brands. Based on VR, in combination with our patented technology, it is a revolutionary yet affordable end-to-end tool, that enables interior designers to easily create, share and customise hyper-realistic 3D designs of their clients’ space in less than 15 minutes to any device, anywhere.
Tell us about yourself?
I am Linda Facchinetti, the co-founder and CEO of Jump Into Reality. I had always wanted to set up my own business. After trying on a VR headset for the first time over five years ago, a completely new world of possibilities opened up to me. I realised that technology is just a means to solve a problem; it gives people something that improves their lives, which they hadn’t before felt was possible. I wanted to be part of that experience and, with my co-founders, we agreed that we were capable of developing a product that could connect people with the magical side of technology. Our first product, JUMP into DESIGN®, does exactly this, but without the prohibitive costs and specialist training that usually come hand in hand with advanced technology.
My career began in international finance, which I worked in for over 15 years from the early ‘90s. I advised supranational institutions and governments globally, and a key part of this work was developing and nurturing relationships – something I really recognise the importance of. I then managed a microfinance institution. Our focus was to provide training and microcredits to women in Haiti and the Dominican Republic who were disadvantaged, vulnerable, and unable to access support to make a living. Everything I’ve achieved in my career has had people at its heart and my work background, while varied in many ways, has given me the skills I then channelled into building my business.
What is the inspiration behind your business?
Immersive technology has always come at a high cost to the end user, to the point of being prohibitive to many of the people it would benefit most. Added to this, the specialist training and equipment that’s usually needed to operate it, means it’s out of reach to most. This is often the case even when the product isn’t of particularly high quality or doesn’t offer a full solution.
But with JUMP into DESIGN®, we’ve created a product that removes cost barriers – interior designers can trial for free, access a no-cost basic version or choose the subscription that meets their needs without paying for what they don’t. Then they can jump straight into using it very easily and quickly because, whilst the software is sophisticated, we’ve ensured it’s intuitive and straightforward to use. JUMP into DESIGN® requires only an internet connection and a PC and if the design professional and their client want to experience a walk through the space and truly bring to life ideas and designs, they can also plug in a VR headset and ‘jump’ into the project to find themselves immersed in it.
What is your magic sauce?
JUMP into DESIGN® as a product is a true innovation within its space – it’s an all-round tool, that is, at the same time, affordable and universally accessible, requiring no prior training or expensive equipment to use. An additional unique feature are the hyper-realistic visuals which are produced and edited instantly, with zero waiting time. This allows designers to easily share their ideas with clients, who immediately understand the project and are able to make faster and better decisions for its execution. But this is not all. JUMP into DESIGN® not only addresses the frustrations and high costs typical of the design process, but it also improves the customer’s experience of purchasing furniture and deco objects, thanks to a shopping link embedded in each 3D object used in the design. This feature, in turns, benefits brands and retailers who can showcase their products within JUMP into DESIGN® for faster and easier sales. It is a win-win-win for designers, retailers and customers, that is, the public as a whole.
Where do you see your company going in 5 years time?
JUMP into DESIGN® is Jump Into Reality’s first product, but the patented technology means that the company is able to deliver high-quality content to almost any device, such as VR headsets. This opens up a world of possibilities for real-time interactive content, as well as productivity tools in a large number of industries. Currently, our products are targeted more towards industry professionals. Nevertheless, our roadmap includes the development of a consumer-facing version of the product too, as technologies like 5G, machine learning and cloud computing evolve.
What has been your biggest setback so far?
Life is full of challenges and we are constantly working to solve problems. I think that’s all part of being an entrepreneur. One of the biggest challenges I faced was when we decided to set up a company in the UK market. It was something we were keen to do due to there being a large market for our product, as well as a deep investor base, but the timing with the pandemic and Brexit presented several logistical challenges. For the transaction to be secured, we had to have all the documents signed before 31st December and so many things had to line up. Thankfully, we managed to get everything signed and sealed on that afternoon — it was tight but we did it!
What is the next big challenge for your business?
Our next big challenge is to bring our software to interior designers across Europe and around the world, help their vision come to life and make everyone’s dream of a comfortable, versatile and healthy home a reality. Additionally, we will continue to work on technological developments and on expanding our list of partners to make ever more pieces of furniture, art and decoration available to designers using JUMP into DESIGN®.
How do people get involved/buy into your vision?
We want all types of interior designers from all over the world to try our product and the easiest way to do this is by signing up for free to our platform and start creating!
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