The Idea.
Build a powerful power bank small enough to disappear into a coin pocket. Because there’s nowhere else to put it. Your main pockets are already taken by
- A bulky phone.
- Car keys.
- A wallet.
- AirPods.
That’s everyday carry now. A power bank doesn’t replace any of those—it adds to them. And asking people to carry one more brick was never the answer. We realized something obvious that no one was designing for: the only pocket left is the coin pocket. And if it can fit there, it can fit anywhere.
The Design.
The Shape Wasn’t a Choice. Once the pocket was decided, the shape wasn’t up for debate. Coin pockets aren’t made for rectangles.
- They curve.
- They compress.
- They reject sharp edges.
A circle wasn’t a design decision—it was the only shape that made sense. We sketched it quickly. Clean. Balanced. Obvious. It felt right immediately.
Then reality hit...
The Chaos.
Factories told us it was impossible. Circular electronics cost 5× more to produce. Molds are more expensive. Machining is harder. Assembly gets complicated fast. Battery cells don’t like curves. PCBs fight symmetry. And the moment you make something circular, you lose efficiency in how components are packaged. Tolerances become a nightmare. Everything gets harder.
That’s why almost every everyday-carry electronic is rectangular or square. Not because it’s better—but because it’s easier to manufacture.
We were told to change the design.“Make it square.” “Make it cheaper.” “Make it like everything else.”
We didn’t.
By that point, we had already fallen in love with the circular design—and once we experienced how it felt and functioned, going back simply wasn’t an option.
The Perseverance.
After redesigning the internal layout multiple times, reworking battery geometry, and tightening tolerances without compromising PETL’s personal feel, we didn’t just design it—we showed the factory how to build it. And once we finally pushed through those manufacturing challenges and held the first circular prototypes in our hands, something unexpected happened.
Everyone we showed it to understood it instantly—no explanation, no learning curve. People didn’t just like PETL; they connected with it. Early test users called it personal, handled it carefully, and guarded it like something they didn’t want to lose. That’s when we knew there was no going back. Because PETL lives closer to you than most devices, we built it that way—using premium-grade aluminum, precision CNC machining, and tempered glass, not plastic, because touch matters.
We didn’t choose the circle to be different; we chose it because it solved a real problem. You already carry too much, there’s no space in your wallet, and the only pocket left was the coin pocket. Making another brick would’ve been easier, but PETL was never about easy. It was about earning its place.
People don’t want more power. They want less friction in their pockets.
— Rakesh Guduru, Ph.D.Product Creator & Co-Founder.
