Bike Thieves Beware! New BikeTrak GPS Security Device is Watching.
As bicycle commuting soars in the Pacific Northwest and beyond, bike theft continues to rise along with it. More than just a headache for bike owners, the problem also presents huge financial costs for those affected—up to $50 million in losses each year in the United States alone. Start-ups like BikeTrak, Incorporated, may offer bicycle owners a new solution.
The Oregon Entrepreneur’s Network agrees. BikeTrak and CEO Kris Akins just took first place at the OEN Seed Oregon Pub Talk Competition held this month; the annual event provides up to $2 million in start-up capital to a local company with a big plan for the future. This year, that idea came in the form of a GPS-powered security device installed on bicycles that provides safety against theft and assistance in location of stolen items.
The new BikeTrak security device also received praise in the Oregonian newspaper this week. The BikeTrak alerts owners when their bike moves out of the immediate area; a stolen bike’s journey can be tracked on GPS via an online link accessed by computer or mobile device, making it easy to hand off to the police to help them locate an owner’s stolen property.
At ControlTek, we're thrilled to see BikeTrak and CEO Kris Akins recognized by the Oregon Entrepreneur's Network. ControlTek has worked with BikeTrak to produce their first generation of bike security units. Getting a start-up idea up and running is a big challenge, and ControlTek is happy to be able to provide the support BikeTrak needs to move its product onto the market.
The company will go on from the Seed Oregon Pub Talk Championship to present as a showcase company at the OEN's Angel Oregon 2012 coming up in April. The Angel Oregon investment conference brings entrepreneurs from all over Oregon and Southwest Washington to present to accredited angel investors for the chance to receive future financial backing.
ControlTek offers a full range of manufacturing services to help take products from concept to market, including engineering, prototyping and other value added services.
