Nothing says “professional” more than smoothly pulling out a tiny project from your suit’s front pocket and setting it up in a snap at the start of your business presentation.

Home projectors are en vogue these days, especially as more and more people cut the cord and rely on streaming services or their phones for content. Back in the days, however, projectors were more often used in the business side of the world for meetings, events, and presentations. Dealing with projectors has never been a pleasant task, and carrying one round is even less so. One tiny projector concept, however, wants to make those haunting memories a thing of the past and actually make you look savvy even before you start your presentation.

Designer: Maxime Jx

Conventional projectors, especially the large ones used in offices, are often too expensive for a single person to purchase. That’s why many businesses and organizations just purchase one or two that can be used by a group of people in turn. As anyone who has had experience using these image-throwing machines, sharing a projector in the same meeting isn’t just an exercise in frustration. It can sometimes downright be embarrassing, especially when, not if, things go horribly wrong.

You can bring your own projector, of course, but that doesn’t solve the hassle of setting it up, especially when it’s your turn to speak. Not to mention even the most portable projectors can be burdensome to carry around, making you look more awkward than professional. This PICO projector concept tries to envision what could be if you could have a projector that’s big enough to fit in your pocket, and it’s going the extra mile to make you look good even while carrying it.

In addition to its pocket-friendly size, PICO is designed to be simple to set up and use. You actually don’t need anything else because it has its own built-in memory as well as folding stands. You could still hook it up to a computer, USB thumb drive, or video source, but those are mostly for extraordinary circumstances. Most of the time, you’ll probably want to go wireless or device-free.

PICO is also designed to look at home in a professional setting or in your pocket. Its simple design doesn’t call too much attention to itself, and the felt-like cloth cover helps make it blend with your apparel. That cloth does have to be pulled back for ventilation and audio output. Having the power button hidden underneath it makes it impossible to forget anyway.

There have been smartphones that came with built-in short throw projectors, but those turned out to be novelties and disappointments in the long run. It might only be a matter of time, however, before decent projectors the size of PICO can actually become a reality. Unfortunately, it might already be too little too late for business-oriented projectors like PICO to be successful in the market, especially given the trend towards video conferencing and, soon, the metaverse.