Vela Bikes brings disruption to the e-bike world through hardware and software innovation

Founded in Brazil in 2012, Vela Bikes is a global e-bike brand now headquartered in Brooklyn, NY. With a sharp focus on classical design that seamlessly includes leading e-bike technology, Vela engineers, produces, and programs their own bikes and the apps that connect to them. Vela co-founder, Justin Kosmides, believes e-bikes can be a major driver in bringing down carbon emissions and that Vela’s timeless design will help drive e-bike ownership and lower car usage.

When Justin arrived at Newlab in January 2022, Vela was at a crossroads. Their e-bikes had great brand recognition and sales volume in Brazil, but they were looking to realign their strategy, as well as solve an array of technological challenges in preparation for entering the United States market and expanding their global footprint. Specifically, they needed to both improve the reliability of their electronics and engineer improved reliance on their ebikes as they continued to scale their brand.

Through a combination of infrastructure and community, the Vela & Newlab partnership proved to be a valuable one. When Vela Bikes started calling Newlab home, they were able to foster a community with other e-Bike companies, allowing them to trade technology, vendors, and resources. Prototyping labs helped Vela fine-tune its design and customize its bikes for commercial customers. However, Vela most values Newlab for its community and shared resources. Through a connection with another startup at Newlab, Vela successfully relocated its production from China to Detroit. The team now calls Newlab’s Detroit facility home and will continue to take advantage of the pooled resources that can only come from the Newlab community.