Nestlums
Thought Machine | 7TH Design
Project
Nestlums is a pocket money pet encouraging young kids to learn about money in an increasingly cashless world.
Agency
7TH Design
Client
Thought Machine
The Brief
Design and build a fully functional prototype that captured the look and functionality of the intended final product, for exhibition at Kensington Olympia Toy Fair and Nuremberg International Toy Fair.
Responsibility
I helped lead concept development, 3D CAD and product resolution for small-scale manufacture and assembly, taking the design from early form development through to fully operational prototypes.
Outcome
Exhibited at toy fairs in London and Nuremberg, the prototypes attracted interest from tech writers, investors and buyers.
3D Form Development
Form development was driven primarily through 3D CAD, shaped by the constraints of the internal components and assembly requirements. To refine proportions and spatial relationships, blue foam models were made and refined. These were then translated into CAD and 3D printed to evaluate fit and form.
Primary Interface
The primary interface communicates the character, emotion and key information that define the user experience.
The display required extensive development to perfect fit, mounting and optical clarity.
A custom jig was designed to safely mount the screen to the PCB.
Designing for Scalability
Design for manufacture was considered throughout the project. Plastic injection moulding constraints were built into the development process from the outset, ensuring the design could be scaled for production with minimal change.
Wall thicknesses, ribs, supports, mounting points and clearances were all carefully resolved to deliver a feasible, manufacturable outcome.
Functional Prototypes
Fully operational prototypes were produced in a range of colourways, with functional packaging.
Press
Nestlums drew warm coverage across the design and fintech press. Creative Review praised its cute, character-led approach to making financial literacy engaging for young children, Finextra highlighted how it teaches money skills without any real cash or bank account, and Forbes reviewed the companion pocket money pet as a charming, solid toy that quietly builds healthy habits around earning, saving and spending.
Following its Toy Fair debut, the product launched with John Lewis, selling strongly and earning five-star reviews for being simple and fun to use.
