Current continuously variable transmissions (CVTs) experience slipping, forcing manufacturers to choose between compromising performance or facing endless consumer complaints. Transcend, another one of our CCEI Summer Fellowship Accelerator startups, is revolutionizing vehicle transmission technology by addressing this issue with patent pending transmission technology: a CVT that can handle high torques without slipping.
CCEI’s Kate Savinelli spoke with team members Ethan Wicko, Zachary Wisnefsky, and Alexander McLeod to discuss Transcend in more detail.
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In the world of vehicle transmission technology, Transcend is making waves with its approach to continuously variable transmissions (CVTs). Founded by Ethan Wicko, Zachary Wisnefsky, and Alexander McLeod, Transcend aims to solve the longstanding issues associated with CVTs, such as slipping and inefficiency, with their patent-pending technology. This innovation promises to handle high torques without the drawbacks that have historically plagued CVTs, positioning Transcend at the forefront of the industry.
Ethan Wicko, the visionary behind Transcend, traces the inspiration for the startup back to his freshman year. With a background in racing mountain bikes, Wicko experienced firsthand the limitations of conventional drivetrains.
“I had a background in racing mountain bikes … my trailer drivetrain had a failure, and it cost me a lot of money. That got me thinking about alternative drivetrains,” he recalls.
His experience with snowmobile CVTs further fueled his interest in developing a more efficient transmission system. Initially, the focus was on creating a CVT for bikes that could shift gears automatically without the typical inefficiencies and slipping issues.
However, as the team delved deeper into the technology, they realized that the problems they encountered with CVTs were not limited to bicycles.
“We found that basically every vehicle OEM that uses CVTs was also facing these problems,” Wicko explains. This revelation led them to pivot from focusing solely on bikes to addressing the broader market needs across various industries.
Transcend’s team is a blend of talents from different backgrounds. Wicko, with his mechanical engineering expertise, joined forces with friends Alexander McLeod, a software enthusiast, and Zachary Wisnefsky, a finance major.
This diverse skill set has been instrumental in tackling the multifaceted challenges of developing and marketing their innovative transmission technology.
“We all come from different backgrounds, and understand everything about the product and the industry we’re going into,” Wisnefsky notes, highlighting the strength of their collaborative approach.
The journey of Transcend has not been without its challenges. Initially, the team focused on developing a CVT for kids’ bikes, but they soon encountered issues with the weight and practicality of their design. This led to a strategic pivot.
“We realized the weight requirements of our first transmission were going to be way too high … we had to pivot to a training bike as our primary mode,” Wisnefsky explains.
Through participation in multiple accelerators, including UConn’s Innovation Quest and CCEI’s Summer Fellowship program, the team refined their business model and honed in on their target market.
“All those steps hardened our business model, allowed us to figure out customers and customer discovery,” Wisnefsky adds.
Transcend’s primary customers are now vehicle OEMs, starting with smaller markets like ATVs, golf carts, and snowmobiles, with the goal of entering the automotive industry.
“Our transmission has a lot of benefits for electric cars in terms of efficiency,” says Wisnefsky. The team believes their technology can revolutionize the CVT market by addressing the longstanding issues of slipping and inefficiency.
Transcend has already made significant strides, including filing international patents and gaining recognition for their work. The team is developing a proof of concept to showcase their technology’s potential.
“We’re using the funding for research and development … we need to test all of our theories and get to a point where we can produce verifiable metrics,” Wicko explains.
The team is also expanding, having recently onboarded a new member from their senior design team. As they move forward, Transcend plans to continue developing their technology, with an eye toward participating in trade shows and conferences to attract interest from potential partners and investors.
For those interested in learning more about Transcend and their innovative transmission technology, the team can be reached through their LinkedIn page or via transcendbicycle.com. As they continue to develop and refine their product, Transcend is poised to make a significant impact on the vehicle transmission industry, offering a solution that could change the way CVTs are used and perceived.