The start of ERODE
The birth of the project
The ERODE project starts with its founder Julien. He’s ambitious and passionate about everything that shapes our world: motorcycles, design, art, urban development, sociology, mobility, architecture, economics, nature, moto sports, extreme sports, technology, innovation, fashion… But what he’s the most passionate about is what lies in the heart of this creative ecosystem: people with talent – sometimes hidden talent. Julien is an experienced biker and a confirmed urban rider who likes to travel the world with his gear.
He’s an adventurer with strong convictions, who particularly cherishes his freedom and lets himself be guided by his creativity. Wherever he goes, his backpack never leaves his side. Julien is a natural-born daredevil but he also knows that roads could put us 6 feet under. He comes to a conclusion that makes sense not only to him, but also to many people who are vulnerable to the dangers of the urban jungle: turn your favorite travel gear -which can put you in danger in case of an accident- into the world’s most efficient and game-changing back protection.
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2016
Project launch
+500
Number of prototype
iterations before achieving the final backpack
2019
Company creation
Identifying the challenge
In addition to his convictions, environmental elements reinforce his idea that there is a strong need to create a backpack that will offer a brand new experience to riders. His objective: to combine practicality with security and to funnel those into a backpack. He then dedicates most of his time solving those security and mobility challenges for riders on two wheels. His motto will become ERODE’s DNA and baseline: “RIDE SAFE AND FREE”. Julien has always been fascinated by entrepreneurship.
Being both visionary and pragmatic, he sees it as a way to improve our world while fulfilling his dreams. This outlook on life shaped his mindset and opened doors to the impossible: to create a brand whose ambition is to come up with innovative solutions to urban mobility on an international scale. He starts by altering an everyday product that we all own and that follows us wherever our adventurous spirit takes us. It then becomes clear and obvious to him: he needs to develop a minimalist backpack with unseen and innovative features.
The development stage
At 27 years-old, after graduation and a few non-exciting jobs, he decides to launch his innovative project that he will later name “ERODE”. It’s February 2016. The Cré’Innov business incubator validates his application and agrees to bet on his business projections by bringing him in, along with other innovative projects. Two years later, with a few euros in his pocket and an extra financial boost, Julien and his first partners manage to develop and manufacture a first functional and promising prototype functional and promising prototype
functional, which already suggests serious potential. Convinced of the project's success, around ten partners agreed to place their trust in him to finish the product. Here we are in 2019, the company ERODE is created, the patent filed. The latest mechanical tests reveal unexpected performance. 1.7kN of average residual force, that's what the sensor dial displayed after the bag received no less than 200 impacts on its test bench. A level of performance comparable to the best protective equipment with an airbag system. Results which give confidence to the founder and his partners. Make way for industrialization and commercialization.
$200
