Whether you’re a downhill mountain biker, casual rider, or regular commuter, Formy grips are ergonomically made for you. They absorb shock on rough terrain, reduce fatigue on long rides, and look great on every bike.
Formy was founded on the idea that product ergonomics are being held back by dated manufacturing technology. Through extensive research and development, it was discovered that designing grips using 3D scanning can improve user comfort and control, while manufacturing them using 3D printing can improve durability and color options. Now Formy has focused on producing the best grips available by leveraging advances in 3D scanning and 3D printing. This gives Formy bike grips many features that set them apart from conventional bike grips.
The following people and organizations have supported in developing and launching Formy.
- Kickstarter Backers
- Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship at Virginia Tech
- Center for Innovation-based Manufacturing at Virginia Tech
- DREAMS Lab at Virginia Tech
- Digital Imaging and Archiving at Virginia Tech
- VT Knowledgeworks
- Robert McAden and his team at Rackspace
- Mitchell Law Firm
- The Entrepreneurship Group at University of Virginia
- Alexis Ohanian
- Candee and Rich Van Iderstine
- Lois Bergert
- Scott and Sherry Walker
- Larry Fenske
- Christina Wise
- Bruce Ayliff
- Tyler Campbell
- Branden Coker
For more information, go support and share their Kickstarter page [1].
[2]
Here is an excerpt from Formy’s founder, Sky, on the risks and challenges presented by his start-up.
Risks and challenges [1]
Sky here, founder of Formy. I took every effort to minimize risk passed onto my Kickstarter backers by minimizing and eliminating significant risks prior to the launch of this campaign. To accomplish this, I…
– Completed design and testing of all Formy grips. There were many challenges in this process, but now that it is completed, Formy grips are ready for manufacture and sale.
– Determined the best way to manufacture Formy grips through extensive prototyping.
– Selected reputable suppliers who have assured continued availability and pricing of parts and materials.
– Tested Formy grips with a variety of cyclists for over the past 1.5 years.
– Created multiple secure back-ups of all Formy data including design files.
– Contracted the services of a corporate law firm to create Formy, Inc. and ensure it’s compliance with all federal and state law.
– Contracted the services of a patent law firm to assess patentability and ensure Formy has the right to manufacture and sell this product.
– Contracted the services of an accounting firm to implement good accounting practices and ensure Formy’s compliance with federal and state tax codes.
– Studied topics at university that are essential for developing Formy grips and operating Formy, Inc. such as human factors, additive manufacturing, and startup business theory. Human factors is the study of the way people interface with products and additive manufacturing is the study of 3D printing.
– Applied a proven business model with which I am very familiar. I founded and currently operate Strapping Fellow, a business that designs, manufactures, and sells custom leather watch straps through an online storefront. Similar to Formy, Strapping Fellow is an e-commerce business that designs, produces, and sells a high-end, customizable, custom-fit interface between a person and their machine (a watch, in the case of Strapping Fellow). Now I’m taking everything I’ve learned from developing that successful company and applying it to Formy.