When COVID-19 shut down Binbox, a business Dan Flynn and Eric Herring launched last fall, Dan didn’t despair. Instead, he turned to the Mason SBDC for guidance through the pandemic. “When you’re thrown a lemon, make lemonade,” Dan says.

Dan and Eric started planning the business in Dan’s garage. “It took a while to get some traction,” Dan describes. When a friend suggested the George Mason Entrepreneurship program, Dan decided to check it out. “They linked me with the Mason SBDC, who linked me with ICAP,” Dan adds. The Innovation Commercialization Assistance Program (ICAP), a statewide technology-commercialization initiative, is a program offered by the Virginia SBDC Network. The ICAP program changed the course of the business by focusing on “customer discovery.” As a result, Binbox developed a solution for what people could do with their personal belongings while attending sporting events, concerts, or the like. “We monetized a smart lock and put it in a locker so people could use their phones to store belongings while attending large events,” Dan explains.

After completing ICAP’s Introductory Course, Dan continued to work with his ICAP mentor. “We looked at high volume venues, like arenas,” he says. “We’re currently pushing close to 30 venues, including the Washington Nationals, Miami Heat, Orlando Magic, Denver Broncos, and Atlanta Falcons — some major teams.”

Binbox was well on the way to success when the pandemic stopped them in their tracks. “We were completely impacted,” Dan says. “With everything closed down, we had to focus on conserving cash and finding a different way forward.”

That way became clear as sports venues cautiously began to reopen. “We became part of the opening plans for these venues,” Dan explains. “The venues needed to keep everything safe and sanitary, and we could provide that service.” Messaging on the Binbox webpage reflects the new focus, which reads, “Keep belongings safe and prevent the spread of COVID-19 with secure, no-contact solutions from Binbox.” Dan adds, “Our sales tripled in the last couple of months.”

To ensure a continued future, Binbox received investment funding from several Mid-Atlantic angel and venture networks.When COVID-19 shut down Binbox, a business Dan Flynn and Eric Herring launched last fall, Dan didn’t despair. Instead, he turned to the Mason SBDC for guidance through the pandemic. “When you’re thrown a lemon, make lemonade,” Dan says. 

Dan and Eric started planning the business in Dan’s garage. “It took a while to get some traction,” Dan describes. When a friend suggested the George Mason Entrepreneurship program, Dan decided to check it out. “They linked me with the Mason SBDC, who linked me with ICAP,” Dan adds. The Innovation Commercialization Assistance Program (ICAP), a statewide technology-commercialization initiative, is a program offered by the Virginia SBDC Network. The ICAP program changed the course of the business by focusing on “customer discovery.” As a result, Binbox developed a solution for what people could do with their personal belongings while attending sporting events, concerts, or the like. “We monetized a smart lock and put it in a locker so people could use their phones to store belongings while attending large events,” Dan explains. 

After completing ICAP’s Introductory Course, Dan continued to work with his ICAP mentor. “We looked at high volume venues, like arenas,” he says. “We’re currently pushing close to 30 venues, including the Washington Nationals, Miami Heat, Orlando Magic, Denver Broncos, and Atlanta Falcons — some major teams.”

Binbox was well on the way to success when the pandemic stopped them in their tracks. “We were completely impacted,” Dan says. “With everything closed down, we had to focus on conserving cash and finding a different way forward.” 

That way became clear as sports venues cautiously began to reopen. “We became part of the opening plans for these venues,” Dan explains. “The venues needed to keep everything safe and sanitary, and we could provide that service.” Messaging on the Binbox webpage reflects the new focus, which reads, “Keep belongings safe and prevent the spread of COVID-19 with secure, no-contact solutions from Binbox.” Dan adds, “Our sales tripled in the last couple of months.”

To ensure a continued future, Binbox received investment funding from several Mid-Atlantic angel and venture networks.