A first for Harrods…a first for Glofaster…

Winchester 19 January 2015: Not only has Glofaster Founder, ex Royal Marine Commando, Simon Weatherall attracted significant Angel investment since appearing on Dragon's Den (and not attracting Dragon funding) in January a year ago, but now he has secured a deal with top London store, Harrods of Knightsbridge for the exclusive launch of the Glofaster clothing range.

So, the Dragon's got it wrong again....

From 19 January 2015, the Glofaster product range will be showcased and available for purchase on one of the planet's most sought after sportswear sales floors <details of location> (during a 6 week period of exclusivity to Harrods).

This deal will be a first for Harrods Fashion Sports floor and a first for Glofaster.

To kick off proceedings on 19 January 2015, Simon will be taking an early morning spinning class (which will only be available to Harrods clientele - bookings through HappyNewYou@harrods.com) and subsequently he will be giving live demonstrations and guided customer try-out of Glofaster product capability throughout the day.

Simon will be available for interview on a one-to-one basis during the day at Harrods. He will also be conducting 'O' labs experiments during the day, if you would like to know more and/or participate please contact me (my contact details are below).

After the 19 January 2015 'Glofaster showcase day', Simon will be available at the permanent Glofaster site for demonstrations/interviews during the ensuing 6 week period of exclusivity by prior arrangement only – again, please contact me if you would like to see the Glofaster range in action.

2014 has seen the development and refinement of the Glofaster running and cycling jackets and the addition of sports clothing to accessorise increasing the range of clothing for instinctive training.

Experiments with the Glofaster Smart technology has shown (time and again) that the use of stimuli such as light to signal that a pre-set training target has been reached, consistently keeps the wearer 'in the zone' so that training is uninterrupted through to completion - no stopping to check monitors or Apps.

Glofaster training is better training as a result.

In further news, Simon has attracted additional Angel investment from philanthropist Rishi Khosla who founded Copal Amba (a research and analytics resourcing firm) and who gave some early stage venture funding to Paypal.

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Contact:

To learn more about the Glofaster offering and the range or to participate in an experiment, please visit: www.glofaster.com

Or if you would like to try-out and review a jacket or items from the Glofaster range - please contact me:

Janine Hogan: +44 7990 696970

Notes to Editors:

HARRODS PRESENTS HAPPY NEW YOU

Over the New Year many of us resolve to make a fresh start. Whether pledging to implement lifestyle changes to improve health and wellbeing, or revamping your skincare regime, there is no time like the present to make positive steps towards a better you. Luckily help is at hand with Harrods' Happy New You, a store take-over promoting a healthier, happier 2015.

From Monday 5th January we will be offering a calendar of exciting events to help you achieve your goals. From in-store sports and fitness classes, to beauty consultations, health checks and food tastings, we'll help ensure you have all the resources you need to stay on track with your health resolutions.

Book A Class

Monday 19th January - Glofaster:
8:30am – 9:30am
To get you in the zone, Glofaster is hosting a spin class which will include a number of different elements such as spinning tests, circuits and experiments using a variety of Glofaster products.

10:00am – 8:00pm
In addition, throughout the day Glofaster is holding demonstrations showcasing the latest products from its range.

Please email HappyNewYou@harrods.com to book your slot for these classes.

(Taken from the Harrods website: http://www.harrods.com/style-insider/news/ss15/harrods-presents-happy-new-you)

The Glofaster Story:

It is just 2 years since ex-Royal Marine Founder of 'Glofaster', Simon Weatherall, spurred incredible consumer interest with the launch of his online fitness training website 'Oobafit' on 'Lifehacker' in the USA. The response ignited his now strongly held belief in the importance of customer interaction – the foundation stone of Glofaster.

So, Simon started his research into the concept of viral interaction during the day and at night he ran to maintain his fitness. Finding night running dangerous he started looking into light up trainers and discouraged found his way to light up jackets. Buying garments from e-bay, a sewing machine from a cash convertor shop, Googling for electroluminescent wire he glued and sewed his way to a prototype.

In a gutsy strategic move, Simon applied for an audition to BBC 2 programme 'Dragon's Den'. He was accepted and 6 weeks he gave a 2 hour long pitch in the Dragon's Den. Unfortunately, the lighting in the room did not allow Glofaster to showcase well and Simon did not attract the funding he requested. But he achieved his primary objective of receiving critique and feedback from the very top business Advisory Panel that could be mustered – The Dragons - key players in the world of business.

The roller coaster ride continued - this time uphill.

Just before the Dragon's Den programme had aired, Simon, who had only just avoided rock bottom (and stony broke) through a small 'Angel' investment, initiated a 'Kickstarter', crowd funding campaign (timed to coincide with the Dragon's Den programme) and built an iPhone App with the Chinese over Skype - texting for translation – over Christmas 2013 using the money he had received.

After Dragon's Den, Simon was approached by 3 investment companies and by potential 'Angel' investors. From that elite group, he chose Angels Ronnie Barker and Dan Stoneham with their knowledge of the technology area combined with their business expertise. Ronnie and Dan's initial advice was to close Kickstarter and go out and spend the investment to make a huge 'bang'. Simon signed Glofaster up for the Wearable Technology Show at Olympia in March 2104 - Glofaster wowed the Show, attracting media and big tech player attention. Seen as one of the largest wearable tech companies in the UK, Glofaster was in the top 4 at the Show.

The next phase was to make Glofaster perfect. Perfect to support the premise that using patterns of light in fitness training fosters instinctive training. And, logically, instinctive training is better training. Logically better during a training session to subliminally observe the change in a pattern of lights as the set target is reached and you are 'in the zone' than to have to stop and check an appliance to check progress…

The Glofaster jacket had to be 'smart' in style as well as technology and have the highest possible spec (from seam finish to pocket placement). Simon scoured the world and found the ideal fabric in Italy. For the electroluminescent wire, he searched from Wales to China to Israel. For the circuitry, he hunted all over the UK and as far as Taiwan. His discussions with many different people in the clothing manufacture confirmed his decision to go down the 'wearable tech' rather than the 'safety' route (the Glofaster jacket is non-intrusive safety wear). Simon has further developed the Glofaster App and Ronnie and Dan have brought the coin sized 'brain' of the jacket (Gizmo) to fruition by creating a small dvice that co-ordinates a heart rate monitor with Simon's App via Bluetooth tech and which is powered by a small polylithium battery.

Having researched every aspect of the product (material/ electroluminescent wire/ duct for wire etc.), Simon sourced the best factory in the UK for manufacture - specialists in assembling jackets for cyclists and runners, with a truly impressive client list.

Still on the uphill, since Ronnie and Dan's involvement, Glofaster has attracted further Angel investment from Rishi Khosla who founded Copal Amba (a research and analytics resourcing firm) and who gave some early stage venture funding to Paypal.

And now the Glofaster jacket is the first truly wearable piece of technology. Custom built (to last), top of the range, precision engineered with features such as: breathable, waterproof fabric, a self-tightening iPhone pocket to keep the phone in place on the side of the body and an easy to open zipper on the front.

Yet there are further refinements that are going to require the input of consumers/users which to build upon the enormous body of advice and wisdom Simon has gathered in his journey and which will bring Glofaster full circle back to his main premise: customer interaction.

Introducing 'O' Labs:

'O'Labs are the online base (or lab) for Glofaster – the place for people to participate and to learn and to help pave the future of Glofaster wearable technology. Most of wearable tech is built in a closed environment. 'O' Labs allows Glofaster to open up to allow people to be involved in the development of Glofaster. Participants in 'O' Labs will be learning secrets about wearable tech and about fitness and how to 'get in the zone'. They will help Simon and the team at Glofaster to develop every jacket, every item into the future.