Manufacturing the first 5,000 Leo devices

Liion Power selected Pilotfish as their manufacturing partner because they needed a complete solution: plastics, electronics, assembly, quality control​ ​ and delivery at the factory door. Our long-standing supplier relationships and deep involvement in product ​design​​ ​ enabled a controlled and transparent transition into production.  A defining​ design​ feature of Leo is the soft light that shines through its otherwise black enclosure. To achieve this consistently, we worked closely with our plastics supplier to fine-tune a mix of black, blue and red colour masters in transparent PC. Even slight adjustments changed the translucency, so we iterated the ratios until the enclosure reached the right balance of opacity and controlled light transmission. As Maeva Schaller, Head of Operations at Pilotfish, explained: “Every gram of black powder changed the way the plastic behaved.” These controlled iterations were essential before committing mass tooling. The 300-unit pilot batch confirmed our process settings and revealed the need to scale test capacity. Additional test jigs were introduced immediately to avoid delays in mass production.

After validation, production moved directly into the full 5,000-unit run. Assembly and testing were scaled in parallel to maintain throughput. Incoming inspections were conducted for all components, including packaging and cables supplied by Liion Power, to ensure consistency across the entire workflow. When Liion Power faced an unexpected logistical requirement from their initial fulfilment provider, we offered alternative partners within our network to maintain the shipping schedule. Jardo Stammerhaus, founder of Liion Power, reflected on the transition toward scale: “The first 5,000 units proved that Leo delivers what people need, and the response supported our fundraising. With Pilotfish preparing the next production phase in parallel, we now have a clear path toward scaling to 20,000​+​ devices with confidence.” The first manufacturing run of Leo confirmed the value of a DFM-driven development process. ​We​ continue​ ​ improving elements of the workflow​, such as ​​ ​material consistency, testing throughput, assembly sequencing, and supplier alignment. With these enhancements completed, we are now prepared for the next stage: manufacturing 20,000​+​ Leo devices with higher efficiency, greater stability, and a process calibrated for scale.