While enjoying their Plano patio in the summer of 2020, Boris and Jelena Medic found themselves – like many in the state – needing relief from the Texas heat. So, drawing on their entrepreneurial backgrounds, they decided to do something about it.
The result: aerMist, a newly launched high-pressure misting system controlled by a proprietary app that the husband-wife founders say can cool an outdoor space by up to 20 degrees.
“The problem we ran into is that the high-pressure misting systems we could find in the U.S. market were very expensive,” Boris Medic said. “Most were very noisy, with other outdated technology or no automation built in. They were not very user-friendly and did not focus on minimizing the use of water.”
Running at around 1,000 psi, the aerMist system produces tiny water droplets that evaporate and cool the air. The high pressure also avoids the drenching spray found in other misting units. With the app being able to control four systems at once, pressure and cooling can be customized, allowing for better water conservation.
“Right off the bat, we understood that the idea of creating something that’s better than what already exists and creating a different approach had a mass appeal,” Boris Medic said. “We found that patios in Texas are not really usable because of the hot Texas weather 40% of the time. When looking at how much people spend, we found that average consumer spends $25,000 or more on outdoor amenities.”
The company has partnered with contract manufacturers Boris Medic knows as the founder of Logic Choice Consulting, an engineering consulting services and component manufacturing firm. Jelena Medic serves as Logic Choice’s managing director, in addition to her work as the founder of Preferred Finance Solutions, an integrated strategic and advisory business focused on alcoholic beverage makers.
aerMist is focused on selling direct to customers, as well as to restaurants. Jelena Medic the D2C route has been accelerated by the pandemic – as evidenced by Solo Brands’ (NYSE: DTC) recent IPO – middle-tier distributors, suppliers and manufacturers. She added that it allows the company to interact more directly with customers, educating consumers on a product that many may have previously had bad experiences with the lower-pressure misting systems.
“We’ve’ made sure that we optimize our inventory control… not just for the supply chain optimization, but also for the cost optimization and being able to provide cost-benefit to our consumer,” Jelena Medic said.
The company can sell to customers nationwide, and its app is available on the iOS store. aerMist also offers installation services in the North Texas region, though Boris Medic said the system could easily be installed as a DIY project. It plans to grow by signing on partners in the new market to provide consumer education and installation services.
