From a College Dorm to Lighting Up the World
One weekend in 2017, Steven and his college roommate John met at a cafe in Shenzhen. Although they both lived in Shenzhen, they rarely saw each other because of their busy work and family life. The two had been working in this opportunity-filled city for a decade, navigating the ups and downs of their careers and witnessing the rapid advancements in technology. But as they reminisced about their past, they both found themselves returning to their most cherished memories—those unforgettable nights in their college dorm, brought to life by a second-hand projector.
As students, their budgets were limited, so the dormmates pooled their money to buy an old, bulky projector. Every weekend, they would use USB drives to copy movies, project them onto a white sheet hanging on the wall, and gather in their cramped dorm room for nights filled with laughter. Despite the grainy visuals, the loud fan noise, and the cumbersome setup, that projector lit up their youth and became the centerpiece of their shared joy.
Yet as fondly as they remembered that projector, they couldn’t ignore its many frustrations. “Why can’t projectors be more lightweight and user-friendly?” Steven and John began to realize that this wasn’t just a problem of the past—it was a challenge many people still faced. High-quality projectors remained prohibitively expensive, while affordable ones often failed to meet basic needs. This market gap sparked an idea: “What if we could create a high-value projector that allows everyone to enjoy a cinematic big-screen experience anytime, anywhere?”
That evening, their conversation reached a pivotal moment. They decided to leave behind their stable jobs and dive into the world of entrepreneurship.
The Challenges of a Startup: From Zero to One
Budget Constraints: How to Achieve High-Quality Visuals with Limited Funds?
Starting a business was far from easy, especially with limited savings. Despite working in Shenzhen for a decade, the high cost of living left them with little capital to spare. Developing a projector required significant investment, involving complex optical designs and chip technologies, while established supply chains were often closed to small startups.Steven and John spent months traveling across Shenzhen, Guangzhou, Dongguan, and Zhongshan, visiting every tech market they could find until they finally secured reliable partners. “We can’t compromise on image quality,” they agreed as their first principle. To save costs, they rented a tiny 20-square-meter workspace and built a basic lab themselves, pouring their time and energy into turning their vision into reality.
Improving User Experience: From Complex to Convenient
Steven vividly remembered the clunky interface, limited functions, and frequent glitches of the old dorm projector.
Improving User Experience: From Complex to Convenient
Steven vividly remembered the clunky interface, limited functions, and frequent glitches of the old dorm projector. They decided to try their best to optimize these problems.
The first version, however, faced a major setback with long startup times. To address this, they worked late nights for months, sleeping only four to five hours a day, tirelessly fine-tuning the hardware-software integration. Finally, after eight rounds of technical updates, they solved the issue, making the projector quick and seamless to operate.
From Dream to Reality: The Road to Success
Clear Roles, Creative Conflicts
Steven took charge of product development and quality control, aiming for perfection in every detail. John focused on supply chain integration, ensuring that costs remained manageable without sacrificing quality. While their clear division of responsibilities was effective, disagreements were inevitable.
One major clash occurred over whether to include a higher brightness light source. Steven believed it was essential for improving user experience, while John worried it would significantly increase costs and strain their supply chain. Through extensive discussions, they reached a compromise—working with suppliers to optimize the light source design, achieving both enhanced brightness and cost control. This experience taught them that disagreements weren’t a problem; finding solutions together was what mattered most.
Resourceful Marketing: A Breakthrough with Limited Means
Due to their tight budget, they couldn’t afford to attend the prestigious CES trade show in person. Instead, they asked a friend to showcase their projector samples. Despite the lack of a flashy display, the projector’s compact design and impressive image quality caught the attention of several international buyers.
But the real excitement came later, when their product launched on Amazon. It quickly climbed the sales charts, receiving glowing reviews from users. For a time, their projector even held a steady spot in the top three bestsellers in the industry. This milestone not only validated their efforts but also gave them the momentum to push forward.
Unwavering Commitment to Quality
At VOPLLS, every product undergoes rigorous testing, covering brightness, heat dissipation, image quality, and more. “If we wouldn’t accept it ourselves, we’d never sell it to our customers,” became their guiding principle. They invested countless hours optimizing every detail, even if it meant higher production costs and longer development cycles.
VOPLLS: Lighting Up Life with Innovation
The name “VOPLLS” emerged during a late-night brainstorming session, representing their vision: “View Our Projection, Lights On, Life Sparkles.” It’s more than just a slogan—it’s a promise to every user. They believe that every time a projector lights up, it’s the start of something extraordinary. From home theaters to classrooms, outdoor parties to business meetings, VOPLLS is dedicated to illuminating every scene with technology and creativity.
Lighting Up the World: From Shenzhen to Global Markets
Today, VOPLLS has grown from a tiny workshop in Shenzhen to a global brand. Their projectors are not only stars on Amazon’s bestsellers lists but also beloved by users worldwide. From the humble beginnings of a college dorm to lighting up the world, VOPLLS continues to bring joy and connection to people everywhere.
Because they believe that happiness belongs to everyone, and VOPLLS is the bridge to making that dream a reality.