Tell us about the Bamboobee.
It’s a bicycle that’s handcrafted and made up of 70% bamboo. The bicycle itself is very basic but you have the option of customizing it with accessories. It weighs 10.6kg and costs $1,105.
What inspired you to venture into making bamboo bikes?
I wanted to make a unique bicycle that customers can be in love with and boast about. With the Bamboobee bike, art meets function and serves an eco-friendly purpose.
You’ve raised more than $50,000 on Kickstarter and passed your first stage of funding. What’s next?
We’re very thankful for the support—we’ve now been able to start on the research and processes that drive the improvement of Bamboobee. We will continue to crowdfund, with our next targets being $120,000 (for the design of accessories and eco-packaging using bamboo), $360,000 (to create a smart system that helps us communicate effectively with our customers) and $1,000,000 (to round things off).
What’s been your biggest challenge so far?
Finding the right people for the work is hard. It’s especially so here where people prefer to apply for white collar jobs. We’ve since changed our search criteria from having energy and spirit to having maturity, patience and experience. The process of getting and maintaining the quality of raw materials is also a problem.
What’s your experience of starting up in Singapore?
Starting up here is good as it’s become a hotbed for creativity and people are open about business. Knowledge is also abundant here and the transportation network is very established, so you’re able to capture the market at a low cost. I only wish that there are more places for craftsmen to display their innovation. There are too many tech businesses, and we need to promote the arts.
