How two aerospace engineers pioneered the new bike light standard?

ShineOn launches Kickstarter campaign on Aug. 6th. Engineering students invent dual beam bike light that fully illuminates cyclists. A diverse team of student entrepreneurs with multidisciplinary backgrounds come together to save lives and promote sustainable transportation

Boulder, CO: ShineOn announced that they will launch their Dual Beam bike light through a Kickstarter campaign on August 6th. ShineOn’s Dual Beam is creating a new bike light standard that focuses on rider illumination, making cyclists feel safer on the road knowing cars can see them sooner and from farther away. “I noticed cars behaving differently, I can tell that they see me which gives me great peace of mind,” says Kevin A. Cyclist fatalities occur more frequently in urban areas, at nonintersection locations, between the hours of 5 p.m. and 9 p.m. Alex and Kathy aim to save lives by reducing the risk of accident and fatalities bike commuters face.

Kathy and Alex first met while working on a satellite project sponsored by NASA. When working with satellites, attention to detail is everything, so the skills used during this project directly applied to their future venture. “I first thought of the idea for a dual shining light riding down the same path I took every day,” says Alex Mulvaney, inventor & co-founder of ShineOn. “Every day I would take the same bike path home and every day a certain rider would pass me. It blinded me everyday and I couldn’t help but think that his safety solution was making me less safe and I thought there had to be a better way.” I was half-way home when it hit me, to see something, you have to shine light on it!” For Alex’s co-founder, Kathy Vega, there was no question that finding a solution for bike commuters was a pressing and personal problem. As the first in her family to attend college and coming from a humble background, bike commuting has become a perfectly affordable and healthy transportation option. “I was doing all the right things with using lights, a helmet, and following the rules of the road, but cars still didn’t recognize me with enough time to stop. I knew that with our combined ingenuity and engineering skills, we had a shot at making something that could actually improve people’s lives.”

As the company continues to grow, the team has had to expand. A year and a half after starting the company, ShineOn is built of a group of cycle enthusiasts with diverse backgrounds and skill sets. With an expansive network of industry expert mentors and advisors, the ShineOn team is well prepared to begin mass production by Winter 2019 in order to fulfill the Kickstarter orders. ShineOn is in the final stages of design for the front bike light and is expected to release the back light by Spring of 2020 with other safety products to come in the future.

ShineOn designs transportation safety products with the mission to remove barriers to sustainable transportation. ShineOn was founded in 2018 and has grown to 5+ employees. With their first product, Dual Beam, ShineOn is setting the new bike light standard and is establishing a new bike light accessory category called, Rider Lights. To stay up to date on ShineOn visit ShineOnBikes.com

Management Bios

ALEX MULVANEY, CEO & COFOUNDER

Alex studied Aerospace Engineering at CU Boulder and studied business before working as a professional chef. Most recently, Alex was the Program Manager for a $500,000 satellite project at CU Boulder sponsored by NASA. As a cycling commuter himself, Alex thoroughly understands the safety challenges a cyclist experiences daily and his personal experiences inspired the ShineOn design. As CEO and co-founder, Alex seeks growth opportunities for ShineOn through partnerships with bike-sharing companies, advocacy groups, and corporate programs. Alex also has won multiple pitch competitions securing equity-free funding to support the early growth of ShineOn.

KATHY VEGA, COO/CTO & COFOUNDER

Kathy is pursuing a second bachelor’s in Engineering Physics; she was previously a teacher in Los Angeles, CA. As a first-generation college student, Kathy was motivated to engage in socially conscious work and promote diversity in underrepresented decision-making environments. Bike commuting is a choice disproportionately preferred by men, which is why Kathy seeks to find safety solutions that will empower more women and children to ride safely. Kathy has been interviewed in the past to speak about her various roles, such as teaching STEM, researching Icy Moons at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, and being an engineering student interested in entrepreneurship. Kathy’s role as COO and co-founder for ShineOn focuses on ensuring the team is on track with goals, seeking out promotional opportunities, and supporting team growth.

TAYLOR BROOKS-MURPHY, MARKETING LEAD

Taylor is pursuing a degree in Business Administration at CU Boulder’s Leeds School of Business. Taylor is a budding entrepreneur who has founded two companies and has previously worked on sales and marketing for a number of startups. As the marketing lead for ShineOn, Taylor communicates with customers ensuring we are meeting their needs. Taylor also leads marketing strategy, opening communication channels with more customers, and creating promotional material.

LUKE WALKER, ENGINEERING LEAD

Luke is studying Mechanical Engineering and self taught himself various software and skills to develop designs that are ready for manufacturing at ShineOn. Luke communicates with suppliers and manufacturers to provide the best quality of products for customers. He also conducts thorough tests on ShineOn products to ensure specs are accurate and up to date. He can answer any questions related to ShineOn products and quality.

Press Coverage
Company Featured in
denver.cbslocal.com
newatlas.com
www.colorado.edu
www.dailycamera.com

Team Members in the News
aerospaceamerica.aiaa.org
www.jpl.nasa.gov
cryosphere.agu.org

Awards & Prizes
Catalyze Accelerator company 2019
New Venture Challenge: Women’s Entrepreneurship Prize 2018 & 2019
New Venture Challenge: Hardware Track 3rd place 2019