Entrepreneurial Dads Create of Thoughtfully Designed Children’s Furnishings

Furniture World Magazine

P'kolino, LLC, a developer of innovative play furnishings, announced its induction into the children’s furniture market. The company develops distinctive products that are functional and stylish for both child and parent, and designed to facilitate and encourage play. The children’s home furnishings market is expected to be an $11.4 billion dollar market for 2005 in the U.S. alone, according to trade publication Furniture Today. Yet many parents are dissatisfied with these unsightly clunky products that are designed for miniature adults, and quickly become unused as the children get older. Seeking to foster a superior play experience, entrepreneurs and former Babson classmates Antonio Turco-Rivas and J.B. Schneider created “P’kolino,” an affectionate term for children in Italian. The company’s multi-purpose, modular products are designed to grow with the child, and fit into the décor of a home. “Play has such a positive impact on a child’s well-being,” said P’kolino co-founder J.B. Schneider. “We wanted to build a company that we were passionate about. For us there is no greater passion in life than our children. P’kolino not only enables us to improve the play-at-home experience for families, but to better our own families. By involving our children in P’kolino we show them that work can be really fun and rewarding. Now we’re seeing that dream begin to unfold!” Schneider and Turco-Rivas are currently manufacturing their first line of playroom furniture for children ranging from one to eight years old. Their premier product—an indoor play table—was designed by a team of Rhode Island School of Design Furniture Design students. The P’kolino play table will be available before year’s end via www.pkolino.com and in retail shops early next year. “We were thrilled to work with Antonio and J.B.,” said Rosanne Somerson, Head of the Department of Furniture Design of Rhode Island School of Design. “It’s rare to see children’s products created with both functionality and style in mind. It’s exciting to see these innovative concepts come to fruition.” The young company was born out of the Babson Entrepreneurial Intensity Track and was first-runner up at the Babson Business Plan Competition. Co-founder and operations manager Antonio Turco-Rivas, MBA, has successfully launched two technology ventures in Latin America. Previously, he worked as a corporate finance consultant for Venezuela’s most important investment bank, and as a special assets manager at the fifth largest Latin American bank in the U.S. Co-founder and marketing and product development manager J.B. Schneider, MBA, brings more than 10 years of experience in developing and executing marketing strategies and communications initiatives. He has led key customer acquisition and retention programs for several Fortune 500 companies, and has played an integral role in the product and marketing development of several entrepreneurial ventures. About P’kolino, LLC: P’kolino, LLC is a privately owned company dedicated to the development of innovative products that enhance the play experience at home. Started in 2005 by two entrepreneurs and former Babson MBA program colleagues, P’kolino creates functional, attractive children’s products designed to grow with the child. The company is headquartered in Woburn, Massachusetts. For more information, visit www.pkolino.com. P’kolino is a trademark of P’kolino, LLC. All rights reserved.