From E-Bikes to Batteries, Dal Innovates Helps Startup Pivot to Meet Global Demand
Dal Innovates has played a pivotal role in guiding Ravi Kempaiah’s journey from e-bike enthusiast, to founder of Zen E-Bikes, to meeting global demand for better two‑wheeled EV batteries.
Kempaiah’s fascination with e-bikes during his PhD led to a Guinness World Record-setting 8,200 km journey across the US and sparked his passion for advancing battery material science.
In 2021, he joined Dalhousie University’s renowned battery research team led by Dr. Jeff Dahn. There, Kempaiah explored the opportunity to adapt the Dahn Lab’s advanced lithium-ion battery technology for the e-bike market, with a focus on durability in hot climates.
Lab2Market Launch Success
Feeling confident in his scientific research, Kempaiah was ready to start his venture, Zen Electric Bikes. Initially, he says he stumbled out of the gate, not knowing where to start. “I was new to this whole ecosystem,” he says.
“So, I turned to Dal Innovates and its programs to learn about the nuances of doing business here.” – Ravi Kempaiah, Ph.D., CEO of Zen Electric Bikes
The Dal Innovates’ Lab2Market Launch program embedded him in Canada’s venture creation community. These leads eventually landed him $100,000 in funding through Sustainable Development Technology Canada, and Invest Nova Scotia also stepped up to provide a production bay. Kempaiah also became a resident at Dalhousie’s Emera ideaHUB where he developed a state-of-the-art e-bike prototype.
But perhaps even more valuable was the mentorship Dal Innovates provided. His mentors helped Kempaiah realize it was Zen’s batteries, lasting four times longer than today’s best-in-class batteries, that truly set the company apart. “Our mentors said, ‘Ravi, look at the forest, not just a single tree. Look at the real essential – the battery that goes into every two-wheeled electric vehicle on the planet,’” says Kempaiah.
The Impact
Zen E-bikes have become the top-rated electric bikes made in Canada. Now, Kempaiah is in talks with manufacturers of two- and three-wheel electric vehicles in India, interested in incorporating Zen’s cutting-edge batteries into their products. Operating under its new umbrella company, Zen Electric, Kempaiah plans to collaborate with Novonix, a company also stemming from the Dahn research lab, to scale up production. “If it goes well, we will be bringing a couple of million dollars in orders our direction,” says Kempaiah.
Story adapted from Startup pivots to meet surge in global demand for better two‑wheeled EV batteries – Dal News – Dalhousie University
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