How doola Helped Glüxkind Build a Smart Stroller Brand Amid a Global Supply Chain Nightmare

Founded: 2020 by Anne Hunger and Kevin Huang

Mission: To empower families with safe, convenient, and seamless parenting solutions

Product: AI-powered smart strollers with autonomous navigation

Industry: Robotics | Artificial Intelligence

Website: Glüxkind.com

Headcount: 11-50

Most businesses start with a plan. Others start with a problem so frustrating that it’s impossible to ignore.

For Glüxkind, it was the latter.

It was 2020. AI was transforming industries across the world. Self-driving cars were hitting the roads, phones could predict your next word, and hospitals were using machine learning to save lives.

But in parenting tech? Nothing.

Strollers, one of the most essential products for parents, hadn’t changed in decades. No automation. No intelligence. Just the same clunky, manual gear that parents had been wrestling with for generations.

When Anne Hunger and Kevin Huang became parents, they braced for the usual struggles. Sleepless nights, endless diaper changes, the complete and utter exhaustion. What they didn’t expect was baby gear that felt like it was stuck in the ’90s.

Everything else was getting smarter. Why not strollers?

Parenting had evolved so much in these years, but the tools that parents relied on hadn’t kept up.

That frustration turned into an idea. And that idea became Glüxkind.

We’ll also talk about how doola helped Glüxkind focus on problem-solving and innovation while doing the administrative and paperwork heavy-lifting for them.

Building the Vision: A Smarter Way to Support Parents

Glüxkind wasn’t just creating another stroller. They were re-imagining what a stroller should be —a product that blended cutting-edge technology with the everyday challenges of parenting.

What Makes the Glüxkind Stroller Different?

Unlike traditional strollers, which rely entirely on manual effort, Glüxkind’s AI-powered stroller integrates advanced robotics and automation to enhance safety, convenience, and ease of use.

Some of its standout features include:

• Self-driving mode that keeps the stroller moving when parents need a free hand

• Automatic braking that engages when the parent stops walking, preventing accidental rollaways

• Advanced obstacle detection to anticipate potential hazards and adjust accordingly

• Hands-free assist that allows the stroller to follow parents without manual pushing

• Built-in white noise machine and soothing features to help keep babies calm

But as they moved toward mass production, they hit a crisis that threatened everything.

The Challenge: Global Supply Chain Chaos

For any hardware startup, supply chain disruptions can make or break success.

For Glüxkind, 2021-2022 was an uphill battle filled with unexpected obstacles. Just as they were gearing up for production, the global supply chain crisis hit, creating a domino effect of setbacks.

Key Challenges They Faced:

• Chip shortages: Critical AI components became nearly impossible to source, delaying production.

• Soaring shipping costs: Freight prices surged overnight, increasing costs far beyond initial projections.

• Factory slowdowns: Manufacturing partners faced labor shortages and operational delays, pushing back timelines.

• Geopolitical tensions: Trade restrictions and global instability made supply chains unpredictable.

At every turn, Glüxkind faced delays, rising costs, and uncertainty. They could have waited for the crisis to settle.

Instead, they adapted.

The Solution: Pivot, Rethink, & Keep Moving Forward

Glüxkind didn’t sit back and hope things would improve. They took control. Instead of letting delays and rising costs derail their vision, they adapted their approach and found creative solutions to keep production on track.

To overcome the supply chain challenges, Glüxkind redesigned key components to reduce reliance on limited suppliers. They also sourced alternative manufacturers to ensure production continued smoothly.

With costs rising, they streamlined operations to absorb the increases without sacrificing quality.

Additionally, they strengthened relationships with suppliers to improve long-term resilience.

While other companies stalled, Glüxkind found ways to move forward. And that’s what separates a great brand from just another startup. 

The supply chain crisis hasn’t gone away completely. But their ability to adapt, rethink, and problem-solve is what kept them from getting stuck.

Getting the Business Side Right Without the Paperwork Overload

Building a smart stroller was one thing. Ensuring the business behind it could scale and thrive was another.

To expand globally and attract the right investors, Glüxkind incorporated in the U.S. This provided them with easier access to funding, stronger legal protections for their technology, and a smoother path to international expansion.

But setting up a company in another country comes with its own set of hurdles—tax regulations, compliance requirements, financial setup, and legal paperwork that can quickly become overwhelming.

And with a product to build and a company to grow, Glüxkind didn’t have the bandwidth to get tangled in administrative roadblocks.

How doola Helped Glüxkind Stay Focused on Innovation

Instead of getting buried in administrative and legal tasks, Glüxkind partnered with doola to handle the entire incorporation process.

What doola Did for Glüxkind:

• Managed the incorporation process from start to finish, ensuring a smooth setup from day one.

• Managed tax and legal compliance, so they could operate without hidden risks.

• Streamlined banking and operational accounts, making cross-border financial management seamless.

With doola handling the business setup, Glüxkind could stay laser-focused on what mattered most — engineering a product that would redefine parenting.

Lessons for Founders: What You Can Learn From Glüxkind’s Journey

Here are a few takeaways from Glüxkind’s Journey

Don’t Just Sell a Product. Sell a Vision

“Successful e-commerce brands don’t just push features. They create emotional connections with customers.” – Kevin Huang

People don’t buy products. They buy solutions to their problems. They invest in brands that understand their struggles and offer real value. For any founder, the lesson is clear: Features don’t sell. Solutions do.

Be Ready to Pivot Fast

Every startup faces unexpected challenges, be it supply chain disruptions, funding struggles, or operational roadblocks.

What separates winning startups from the rest is their ability to pivot and adapt in real time instead of waiting for the perfect conditions. Remember, there’s never a “perfect” time to grow. 

Get the Foundation Right From Day One

You can build the most innovative product, disrupt an industry, and have customers lining up… but if your business setup is a mess, you’re gonna have a bad time. 

If you’re expanding across borders, don’t wait until legal and compliance issues create obstacles. Get your business structure in place from the start, so you can focus on scaling, not getting tangled in regulatory roadblocks. 

Thinking About Launching Your Own E-Commerce Business?

You’ve seen how tough it is to bring a product to market. The last thing you need is paperwork slowing you down.

If you’re a founder (or just taking your first steps into entrepreneurship) and want to launch and scale in the U.S. without drowning in legal and tax headaches, doola can help.

We’ll handle the setup so you can focus on building your brand and growing your revenue.

👉 Get started with doola today!