WoW Women in FemTech and SexTech | Alma Ramírez Acosta and Patricia Cervantes, co-founders of Vibio
Interview by Marija Butkovic @MarijaButkovic
Alma and Patricia are sextech entrepreneurs, currently challenging the approach to female sexuality. They're highly passionate about new technologies and their potential to increase sexual wellbeing, a taboo subject that affects everyone's lives but is rarely spoken about. Their mission is to present it in a natural way to encourage everyone to feel comfortable with themselves and their sexuality by using tech for good (fun).
What is the idea behind your project / product and how did you come up with it?
We are creating a range of sex toys that combine innovative design with app technology to encourage people to explore their sexuality. Our mission is to destigmatize pleasure and present it in a natural and fun way to create conversation around it.
Before starting vibio, we realised that one of the main struggles people face when it comes to dealing with their sex lives is talking about it - we often feel uncomfortable, vulnerable and even slightly embarrased. Hence, our toys place the focus on the shareability of the experience and the social aspect.
When did all start and do you have other members in your team?
Patricia Cervantes and I founded vibio in August 2018, but our friendship goes way back. We met at preschool and grew up together in Gran Canaria, where we became best friends over time. We’ve always been very sexually open and explorative, which also meant that none of our friends and family were surprised that we ended up in sextech.
Last summer, Elana Jeeaooo joined our team as a part-time designer. She’s what we call a superstar. Very creative and versatile, not only has she designed all of our app but also came up with our new branding and packaging.
How long did it take you to be where you are now?
It’s been slightly over two years that we started fiddling with the idea of starting a sextech company. For the first 6 months we researched the market and identified where we thought we could add value (communication and openness); then we started working on Ella. We went for a wearable vibrator because it already breaks with the stereotype that sex has to be in the bedroom and encourages people to get out of their comfort zone - which will generally helps to create conversation.
What was the biggest obstacle?
Getting everything in place (engineering, manufacturing and app development) for our first product was complicated. We are not from a technical background so we had to learn a lot and fast in order to integrate all the different parts involved in our business. Thankfully we had a great support system and network that helped us in the beginning and connected us to the right people.
What are your biggest achievements to date?
With no doubt, launching Ella has been our biggest achievement so far. We’re extremely happy to take our first product to market and can’t wait to see what people think.
What are the challenges of being an entrepreneur in the niche you are in? How about being a female founder / entrepreneur?
Being a woman in tech always comes with challenges, but especially so in the adult industry. Of course, it takes more effort for women to be taken seriously and prove our worth.
However, our main challenge in our opinion is all the regulation around sex toys. For example, we can’t advertise directly in social media, which means it’s harder for us to reach consumers. Also, it took us 2 months to open a bank account because many of them rejected us for being in the adult industry. Many payment providers, private institutions and investors have some sort of restriction for adult companies, which is still surprising considering we’re a legal business with a positive impact on society.
What are your projects you are currently working on?
We’re already working on our next 2 products, personal lubricant and another sex toy. We invite you to join our community ‘Vibe Gang’ where you can become a tester and be part of our product journey. Besides that, we’re also creating content to educate and help break taboos around sex.
Is #WomenInTech movement important to you and if yes, why?
Absolutely, we’ve been working in Tech since we were university students and have experienced first hand how much of a male-dominated space it is. Movements like #WomenInTech give you a sense of community and a support network you can rely on when times are tough. As an underrepresented group in the industry it’s important that we join forces to enact the change that we want to see for this and future generations.
What is the most important piece of advice you can give to all female founders and female entrepreneurs out there?
Just start. We often spend too much time thinking about what could go wrong instead of taking the risk, failing and learning from our mistakes. Risk assessment is great until it becomes a barrier for progression; if you never do it, you’ll never know.
What will be the key trends in the sex tech and fem tech industry in the next 5 years and where do you see it heading?
Sextech is a booming industry with many angles, but our favourite trends are those who tackle the new diverse intimacies our culture is looking for. We are seeing great projects - many led by women - opening up very necessary conversations around health, education, assault reporting and intimacy and exploring how new tech may help to solve some issues in these categories.
Who are your inspirational women in fem tech and sex tech?
Cindy Gallop, first and foremost. She’s a visionary and trailblazer in the industry, and we admire how open and direct she is.
Stephanie Alys has also made it to our top 3 during these past two years. We’ve been in touch since the beginning of our journey with Vibio and she has been very attentive, useful and proactive in our progress. We admire all the work she did for MysteryVibe and that she continues to do in the industry helping out smaller companies like ours to thrive.
Website: https://www.vibio.co.uk/
Instagram: @vibiotoys
This interview was conducted by Marija Butkovic, Digital Marketing and PR strategist, founder and CEO of Women of Wearables. She regularly writes and speaks on topics of wearable tech, fashion tech, IoT, entrepreneurship and diversity. Visit marijabutkovic.co.uk or follow Marija on Twitter @MarijaButkovic.