How we pushed the pedals and became the fastest growing private consumer products & services company in Austin
Mathias Ihlenfeld will give insights into his journey of building a disruptive direct-to-consumer brand in North America.
Costumes Optional! It's almost Halloween, so wear 'em if you got 'em!
About our speaker:
Mathias Ihlenfeld is the CEO and Owner of woom bikes USA, a company based in Austin, Texas, that is on a mission to inspire children throughout North America to love riding their bikes by offering high-quality, lightweight bikes specifically tailored to a child’s anatomy. Since 2014, Ihlenfeld has helmed the business as woom bikes has become one of the fastest growing companies in the United States, the 20th fastest-growing company in Texas, and the 7th fastest-growing company in the city of Austin, as recognized by Inc. Magazine. Ihlenfeld and his team at woom bikes have positively disrupted the children’s bike category in North America as the largest and fastest-growing direct-to-consumer brand in the space.
Raised in Germany, Ihlenfeld moved to the United States in 1994 as a collegiate tennis player, ultimately earning his MBA at the University of Alabama. Ihlenfeld gained vast experience in the business world as an IBM and SAP management and financial consultant. During that time, he developed the skills and intuition to successfully manage an international manufacturing business in a fast-paced, digitally driven economy.
Over the last five years, Ihlenfeld has built a team of over 45 employees collectively driven to change the lives of children through cycling. Ihlenfeld utilizes his background, commitment to building a sustainable organization, and belief that it is a company’s responsibility to give back to the communities it serves. woom has a give-back model built into the organization called upCYCLE—when customers buy the next size woom bike for their child, customers are able to return their used woom for 40 percent of the original purchase price. upCYCLED bikes are then donated to nonprofits focused on getting kids on bikes regardless of their socioeconomic environment.
About woom:
woom designs high-quality, lightweight bikes for children of all ages. Our attention to detail sets our company apart—from the careful selection of materials to our commitment to safety and performance, our bikes are tailor-made for a child’s anatomy and needs. woom bikes are often half the weight of conventional kids’ bikes found at traditional retail stores, and 85 percent of our bike parts are individually developed and produced for woom. In all design elements, woom emphasizes safety, ergonomics, handling, and non-toxic, environmentally friendly components.
Riding is easy to learn and easy to enjoy on woom bikes, which range in size from balance bikes designed for children who’ve just learned to walk (18 months+) to pedal bikes for young teens (13-14 years). woom ships directly to customers, and assembly is quick and simple.
Family owned and operated, woom was founded in Vienna, Austria, by Christian Bezdeka and Marcus Ihlenfeld with the mission to create the ideal kids’ bike. Helmed by Marcus’ brother, Mathias Ihlenfeld, woom USA began operating at our headquarters in Austin, Texas, in 2014; our aim is to bring the same unparalleled European design and love of riding to families across North America. In 2019, woom USA was named to the Inc. 5000 list of the fastest growing companies in the U.S., ranked No. 259 overall and 20th in Texas. For more information, visit us at us.woombikes.com or call 855-966-6872.
Agenda:
6:50am - Coffee & Networking
7:10am - Breakfast Buffet
7:25am - Introductions & Announcements
7:50am - Speaker Introduction
8:20am - Q&A
8:30am - Have a wonderful Wednesday!
Directions and Parking
Breakfast Fees & Policy
