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From long days at Copenhagen Business School and working at a law firm to building an international company present in more than 40 countries — that’s the journey of William Friis and Scanovus. The idea came when Friis realized how much time a simple task like ironing could steal from an already busy schedule. Why not create a smarter solution that saves time and makes everyday life easier?

That question sparked the launch of Scanovus and its first automatic ironing machine. Since then, the company has grown at remarkable speed and is now opening a U.S. warehouse to get closer to its customers. Throughout the journey, one philosophy has remained unchanged: never accept the status quo.

In this interview, William Friis shares how he turned an idea into reality, the countless prototypes that paved the way, and the social media breakthrough that propelled Scanovus into the global spotlight. He also reflects on where the company is headed in the next five years — and why its core mission will always be about giving people back their most valuable resource: time.

William Friis, Founder at Scanovus

William, what was the idea behind Scanovus, and how did it all begin?

“The idea came while I was studying at Copenhagen Business School and working at a law firm, where wearing a freshly pressed shirt was part of the daily routine. I quickly realized just how much time such a seemingly small task could consume. Setting up the ironing board, waiting for the iron to heat, and wrestling with wrinkles felt unnecessarily complicated and time-consuming — especially when my schedule was already packed with studies, work, and a social life.

That’s when it struck me: why not build a machine that could do it for me? The inspiration came from the techniques used at dry cleaners, but my ambition was to create a smaller, more user-friendly solution for the home. That became the starting point for Scanovus and our very first automatic ironing machine.”

Hvordan ser processen ud, når I udvikler et nyt produkt – fra idé til det står klar på hylden?

“Vi arbejder ud fra en helt klar filosofi: vi må aldrig acceptere status quo. Vores bestseller – Det Automatiske Strygejern 3.0 – er resultatet af fem års konstant forbedring.

Jeg er ikke ingeniør, men jeg ved præcist, hvordan slutproduktet skal fungere for brugeren. Derfor er processen et tæt samspil mellem vores team, dygtige ingeniører og produktionen. Det kan være en lang og krævende proces, hvor vi ofte tester prototyper, piller det hele fra hinanden og starter forfra. Typisk tager det 6-12 måneder, før vi kan stå med et færdigt produkt, som vi er helt tilfredse med.

Jeg var senest for få uger siden nede på fabrikkerne i Kina for at se nye prototyper og sparre med vores samarbejdspartnere. Det er intensive dage, hvor vi deler idéer, skitser og tanker, og hvor vi nogle gange vender alt på hovedet. Det er udfordrende, men netop det arbejde gør, at vi ender med produkter, vi kan være stolte af, og som for alvor flytter standarden.

Vi udvikler ikke bare for at optimere funktioner. Vi udvikler, fordi hele kernen i Scanovus er at give folk tid tilbage. I dag er tid en af de mest værdifulde ressourcer – og paradoksalt nok ofte det, vi har mindst af. Derfor spørger vi altid os selv: Frigør det her produkt tid for brugeren? Hvis svaret ikke er et klart ja, går vi tilbage til tegnebrættet.”

What’s the status? How’s it going?

“It’s going really well, but it has also been intense. In just a few years, we’ve expanded from Denmark to more than 40 countries. Demand continues to grow, and in 2025 we’ve repeatedly experienced products selling out before they even reached our warehouses.

This growth has forced us to rethink our business from A to Z. We’ve had to scale up production, optimize logistics, and expand with new warehouses. We’re now opening a warehouse in the U.S., an important step that brings us closer to customers there and allows for even faster delivery. Our growth is driven by international markets, which means we constantly have to think globally and invest in solutions that can keep up with demand.

One of the things I’m most proud of is that we’ve maintained our customer service throughout this journey. Rapid growth has meant far more inquiries and intense pressure, requiring countless hours, tremendous effort, and a dedicated team. Yet we’ve never compromised on our goal: that every customer should receive service that is personal, efficient, and leaves a positive impression of both the experience and the brand. I’m particularly proud that we haven’t just maintained this level, but have actually strengthened it along the way.”

Who are your typical customers?

“Many people probably picture our classic profile: a man in his 30s or 40s who wears a shirt daily and has a busy schedule. In reality, our customer base is much broader.

We see families where the machine eases the burden of everyday chores. We see young people, like I was back then, who find ironing an overwhelming task in a hectic life. We have older customers who appreciate being able to manage ironing without physical effort. And we have many women who both use the product themselves and buy it as a gift.

For me, this shows that it’s not just about shirts. It’s about eliminating a time-consuming task and making everyday life a bit easier. When customers tell us they’ve started wearing shirts again because we’ve made it simple, I know we’ve hit something important.

You’ve experienced huge success on social media. Was that part of your strategy from the start?

“No, actually not. For a long time, we struggled to find our path on social media. We spent nearly four years experimenting with different formats without much breakthrough.

Everything changed when we started posting simple, handheld videos showing the product in use. Nothing staged — just real. It resonated with people because they could relate to both the problem and the solution.

Within a few months, we grew from about 2,000 followers to nearly 140,000. One of our first viral videos now has over 26 million views and more than 700,000 likes. I still remember the feeling of seeing traffic explode on our webshop. It was a turning point for us.

But although it may look like an ‘overnight success’ from the outside, the truth is that it’s built on five years of persistent work. Many trials, many mistakes, many hours. The organic growth we see today is the result of never giving up.

Looking five years ahead, where do you see Scanovus?

“In five years, I see Scanovus as an internationally recognized brand found in over a million homes. We will have a broader portfolio of smart household products and be known as the company that makes everyday life easier.

Our mission will remain the same: giving people back their time. If we can continue developing products that free up time for family, experiences, and what matters most, I’m convinced we can go much further than we can imagine today.”

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