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NapBox Solves Sleep Problem with Student-Led Humanitarian Focus
February 23,
2026 by Karen Parrish in Business Strategy, Industry 
What started as a student design project has turned into something far more meaningful: a real product, in real shelters, helping real people sleep.
Julia Norat, Jessica Wiens, and Mariia Plugar — three students passionate about human-centered design — won an innovation contest hosted by NapBox, a leading manufacturer of modular sleep pods. Their idea: an ultra-lightweight, easy-to-assemble enclosed sleep pod for emergency sites and shelters. After rigorous testing, NapBox launched the first product at the Disaster Expo in Houston in November 2025.
The Sleep Problem
The idea came from a simple reality: when disasters strike and shelters fill up, people often sleep in crowded gymnasiums on cots or hard floors, with little privacy or personal space. For emergency responders pulling 18-hour shifts and for displaced individuals who've just lost everything, this compounds stress and trauma.
"People in crisis deserve more than a cot in a hallway," said Mariia.
Designed for Real Conditions
After visiting shelters, the students asked a simple question: why are emergency sleep solutions so bulky, slow to deploy, and lacking privacy? Through digital models and material research, Julia, Jessica, and Mariia developed a pod concept prioritizing three things: speed, weight, and enclosure.
Their solution assembles in minutes using one tool, is light enough to lift with one hand, and creates a personal space even in crowded environments.
NapBox Saw the Vision
When the students presented their concept, the design quickly moved toward production. NapBox engineers refined the pod while keeping its core goals: fast, light, and private.
"Three students identified a real gap, did the hard design work, and showed up with something simple to build," said Andrew Jamel, head of Nonprofit Division.
From Contest to Crisis Response
The pod is now deployed across nonprofit shelter programs and humanitarian operations. Organizations, including The Bowery Mission and the YMCA, report meaningfully improved sleep, recovery, and dignity for those using sleep pods.
"After months of iteration, seeing our product helping people in difficult situations means everything to us — it reminds us why we started this in the first place," said Jessica.
Photo: Julia Norat, Jessica Wiens, Mariia Plugar, and NapBox representatives with the contest-winning emergency sleep pod at Disasters Expo USA.