CeramicSpeed’s chainless drivetrain concept is seeking investors

Chainless drivetrain concept Driven has split off from its parent company CeramicSpeed, and is now a new standalone startup called Driven Technologies. Inc. with Jason Smith (Chief Technology Officer of CeramicSpeed) as CEO. The ultra-low friction drivetrain is still under development but is seeking outside financial support from seed investors to bring the product to market in two or three years.

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Starting at US$1,000 (around £720), you can become a part-owner of the patented and award-winning drivetrain system that, if we're to believe the Driven team, could set new standards in mechanical efficiency, aerodynamic efficiency and simplicity, by signing up at the Seed Invest page here: “Join us. Own a piece of Driven and be part of a bicycle revolution which is 100 years past due”, boasts Driven Technologies. 

Driven Technologies is a spin-off from Danish brand CeramicSpeed, the company who collaborated with the University of Colorado Mechanical Engineering Department back in 2017 to develop a chainless drivetrain concept which swaps derailleurs and chains for a drive shaft.

We spoke to Jason Smith, Chief Technology Officer and founder of Friction Facts, who headed up this project in a video over here.

The Driven 13-Speed pinion system was first unveiled at Eurobike in 2018, where it majorly impressed and received the Innovation Award. Fast forward to the 2019 show and the system could now wirelessly shift five gears.

CeramicSpeed claims it provides 48% less friction than a regular groupset, and projects drivetrain efficiency of 98.9% at 250 watts.

Based on wind tunnel test data from a Specialized and CeramicSpeed collaboration, an aero improvement of 3% was also measured for the Driven-equipped Venge vs. a standard chain-equipped Venge.

The intellectual property relating to the Driven system was bought by Driven Technologies from CeramicSpeed on April 9, 2021 for $460,764.

While Driven Technologies owns all assets, patents and intellectual property, the startup will be continuing to fine-tune the system with the support of CeramicSpeed, in terms of both the experience and resources it can provide.  

www.ceramicspeed.com