Why a Christmas Tree?
WiGL gets a lot of questions about the WiGL Christmas Tree Project.
- “Why a Christmas Tree?”
- “How come it is not going to Mass Production?”
- “Why not products you can use all year?”
- “What does a Christmas Tree have to do with government contracts?”
All valid questions, so we’d like to provide some background and clarity. But let us start by saying the Christmas Trees are SOLD OUT!
As we’ve shared, WiGL receives funding for our ongoing government contracts, and one of the near final requirements of a DoD contract is to prove that WiGL’s technology can be commercialized. See Press Release
The technical term in the contract is LRIP Commercialization, or “Low Rate Initial Production.” Simply put, the government wants to be able to transition DoD technology into civilian markets. This doesn’t mean thousands of products have to be transitioned, just minimum LRIP. For DoD, they spend a lot on Small Business Innovative Research (SBIR). They want to ensure some of those dollars help everyday Americans…not just DoD as the customer.
To meet the terms of our SBIR and TACFI contract(s) we needed to show that WiGL:
- Was able to transition over-the-air (OTA) wirelessly powered networks, created for DoD “expeditionary lighting,” to a civilian OTA networked product.
- Could establish the logistics to meet LRIP, leading to mass production (of our next products).
- Could meet non-DoD regulatory requirements needed to sell products in the USA, such as Federal Communication Commission and Underwriters Laboratory certifications.
- Could demonstrate a commercial need for our products, meaning civilian sales. NOTE: we drastically underestimated the commercial need. As mentioned, we are almost sold out.
The Christmas Tree was never envisioned or promoted as WiGL’s major revenue stream. Nor is the Tree WiGL’s final product or going to mass production for thousands of commercial products; at least not in 2024. The 2024 Christmas Tree project serves solely as an LRIP task order. The Tree is also the easiest product to help explain and train new civilian users on the value of OTA wireless networks.
As a launchpad to civilian markets, WiGL’s Christmas Tree project meets and exceeds our government task orders. Our emphasis that the tree was fully funded by the TACFI Contract has been to double down that it meets LRIP task orders and is not the final product WiGL will bring to market.
As we have been saying, the WiGL Christmas Tree is:
- Our proof of concept that shows OTA networks can be transitioned from DoD to the home.
- Our Intellectual Property protector that puts a stake in the ground that WiGL-enabled networks have been commercialized and not just sold to DoD. Read as, as promised WiGL is 1st to market with a wireless power network. This further protects our patents.
- Our contracted requirements for DoD.
But please know, the Tree is just the beginning. If all continues to go well, the next non-DoD funded products will be for the purpose of civilian markets and mass production.
Where Can I Get My Tree
We promised to be transparent
The Good
As we shared last couple months, WiGL thought we missed the 2024 in-store Christmas Season window. Then, a last-minute opportunity arose. We hired a new broker and WiGL was offered a last-minute chance to take a moonshot to secure our first civilian purchase order (P.O.). The P.O. set a marker in the ground that WiGL is ready for primetime. This was super exciting, because as we’ve also shared, we didn’t think we’d be able to hit Big Box or any Box Stores this year. So, getting a P.O. for Midsized markets was huge.
Not Good
There are a lot of long-drawn-out backstories about partners losing key employees, dealing with manufactures overseas (post-election), and/or last-minute changes that we didn’t authorize…but the shortest version is…our manufactures could not meet the P.O.’s shipping deadline. With deals like these, products must be in the distro cycle on or well before the required dates. Last minute manufacturer changes, multi-country operations and time zones, concerns about new political leadership, plus pop-up certifications drove our manufacturers past our P.O.s due dates. Short story, the distributor pulled the P.O. Which also means we are not going to be in Midsized Stores in 2024.
But WiGL’s 2024 story doesn’t end here.
Better & Best
We said, GET READY TO CHANGE THE WORLD! When all the behind-the-scenes snafus happened, under pressure from advisors and mentors…we made a strategic decision to cut production run to meet minimum government LRIP numbers and push those minimum number of Trees using online stores.
WE DRASTICALLY UNDERESTIMATED THE DEMAND FOR WiGL!
In less than 7-days…we’ve almost SOLD OUT. And WiGL could have easily sold 2-3 times the number of Trees.
Luckily WiGL’s Focus Group participants were contacted directly and made their purchases early. So, as we used to say in the military… “there’s some there-there”. People want WiGL’s wireless network. Meaning WiGL has once again exceeded the requirements of our government contracts.
If you are still interested, a handful of trees may still be available at: Wireless Christmas Tree – WiGL Inc Shop
But no promises.
Bottomline
We learned that there is an immediate need for WiGL-enabled networks and products in the home. We’ve already pivoted to non-seasonal products on the network. And due to good foresight and planning, the transmitters, receivers, powerbanks, Apps, and network are interoperable with what’s coming next.
We also hope to leverage our relationships with distributors to once again try a moonshot. We are working through how the upcoming political changes may impact overseas manufacturing and have explored new “non-tariff” impacted partners. So, 2025 looks bright and exciting.
Don’t forget, the OTA Holiday Tree is just the 1st vehicle for wireless power. WiGL is pushing the boundaries of conventional power, so stay up to date at WiGL Campaign on PicMii Crowdfunding for our latest news and offerings.
#LetsWiGLTogetherTM
*This Reg CF offering is made available through PicMii Crowdfunding, LLC. This investment is speculative, illiquid, and involves a high degree of risk, including the possible loss of your entire investment.