Back before the Gravaa we know today, Gertjan was digging deeper, starting extensive patent searches, and making all of the many adjustments to his existing life which would be familiar to any entrepreneur impassioned by an idea they believe in. Then he started the really hard work: bringing a working concept to life. “To use a technical term, I wanted a de-centralised system, housed completely inside the hubs of the bicycle - self-contained, regenerating and self-powered. That would not be easy.”
So Gertjan reached out to development companies. “But by then, purely through practical knowledge of the bike and a good understanding of the basics, I went to them with a design,” he says. “I had all of the big blocks there, the architecture, like the clutch mechanism, pumps and electrical components, all of which form the Gravaa we know today, but packaged a lot smaller than I could ever imagine!”
The next big line in the sand came in 2016, when Gertjan connected with the technological hub of Eindhoven, now Gravaa’s home. “The technical university is here, and because of that hundreds, possibly thousands of technical companies that form an incredible eco-system of engineering and design talent.” What Gertjan needed was a mechatronics company, a technology specialist working at the cutting-edge of electronics, mechanical systems, pneumatics and more. “I found a company called Demcon. At the time they had 700 people, now they have several hundred, in multiple countries around the world. It’s an understatement to say they are immensely talented.”
