Have you ever been offline in recent years? By offline I mean free from tech, notifications, mobile phones, and the internet. I tried this a few days ago, for roughly two days. And trust me, it was one of the most beautiful experiences. Completely disconnected from tech.

I simply read spiritual books, cooked biryani, and spent a lot of time with my family. I don’t know what this is called technically, but digital detox seems like a perfect phrase.

Interestingly, more people around the world want to experience a digital detox.

How do I know this?

There’s this startup in the UK called Unplugged that has helped 10000 people digitally detox since 2020. All by being bootstrapped (not raising funds). When a startup doesn’t need outside money, that’s a clear sign its product has great organic demand.

The best part? Their customers are loving the experience. They’ve got a 4.9 rating from over 1200 customers. That’s unbelievable.

So, who’re they and how did they get started?

Unplugged co-founders Hector and Ben used to work at a tech startup. That means a lot of coding, emails and screen time. As a result, they were frustrated, so they needed a break.

Hector went to the Himalayas for 2 weeks and unplugged from the world. Complete calm and silence. That experience sparked an idea. What if they turn digital detox into a business? Many thousands of individuals likely want a tech-free break, they thought. Of course, they’re right. Today when we wake up, the first thing we check is our phone. And can we spend 15 minutes in solitude without looking at our phones? Yes, this is becoming a big problem.

Since we’re always connected to the world via email, social media, video calls and forums, our brains are always ON. Just like our bodies, our brains also need rest. They also need to recharge.

Getting my point, right?

So, how does Unplugged work? Simple. They offer tech-free cabins to their customers for 3 days. The cabins are within a 1-2 hour radius of the UK’s major cities. Each cabin stay includes a lockbox for your phone and other things like books, games, nature guides, etc.

The best part? Nature surrounds these cabins.

They also offer add-ons like saunas and ice-baths.

No, Unplugged doesn’t own any land. They partner with landowners and install the cabins.

Recently, they expanded to Spain.

They’re successful because they’re offering something that’s a no-brainer. And I predict that demand for digital detox stays is going to skyrocket in the coming years. How? Simple. The techier the world gets, the more the stress. The greater the stress, the more you need to unplug and recharge.

This business also reminds of Airbnb. Can Unplugged also revolutionize the market? The business model is quite similar. The only difference being that Airbnb seeks the mass market, while Unplugged focuses on a niche market.