BOLT by CLIP 

So, you wanted a device that could easily turn your regular bike into an e-bike. What is innovative about the CLIP device?

To become the only zero-tools e-bike upgrade in the world, our biggest challenge was making CLIP both portable and completely tool-free. That meant everything had to be super optimised. You can’t put in a giant motor—it stops being portable. You can’t have a huge battery either. 

The way we’ve done this is quite clever. For instance, if you power a bicycle from the hub, you need a lot more torque, which means a bigger motor. But because we’re powering it from the top, at the periphery of the wheel, you can do it with a much smaller motor. 

This isn't a new idea; we didn’t invent it. It was used in the iconic VeloSolex, which was hugely popular from the 1940s through the 1970s. That bike had a small 25cc internal combustion engine that drove a roller, which in turn powered the front wheel. They sold eight million units worldwide. 

The concept at the heart of our patented design is an all-in-one device that requires no installation. Just walk up to any bike, clip it on, and it’s ready to go. Bikes come in many variations. Our design is optimised to fit as many of these variations as possible.

You can easily attach the original CLIP device to any bike and go. But how does it deliver a simpler, more efficient experience for urban cyclists?

The way we've designed the system is simple: you pedal, and it provides a low level of assistance. When you need a stronger boost, you press the red button on the bluetooth remote, and the boost kicks in. At other times, you just pedal with a very small amount of current going through the motor. 

That simplicity is key. When people try CLIP, they often start out skeptical, but the moment they press the button and feel the boost, their eyes light up. That reaction says it all. 
In terms of efficiency, you're not drawing on the battery all the time—only when you press and hold the red button. When you don’t need assistance, you lift your thumb and ride normally, and the battery supplies only a minimal current to keep the motor ready. 

That really optimises energy use and consumes much less power than a typical e-bike, which usually runs at full current all the time. Because of that, we can get a fairly good range using a much smaller battery. One 100-watt-hour battery gets us close to 10 kilometers, and you can double that by adding a second battery. 

Just like electric cars, we also have regenerative braking. The first button is for boost, and the second button is for regenerating energy. For example, when you're going downhill, you can put some energy back in. 

Where and how would BOLT by CLIP make the most positive impact?

We’re aiming to deploy BOLT by CLIP in emerging economies because we believe clean, affordable mobility can boost average household incomes, especially in Indian cities with populations under 100,000. Economic empowerment depends on daily access to opportunities, but that access often breaks down when people are stuck on overcrowded buses or forced to take loans for polluting vehicles.

By reducing travel time and transportation costs, our device improves access to healthcare, education, and jobs. Longer, more efficient commutes open doors to better work and learning opportunities, ultimately increasing disposable income for essentials like healthcare. 

We also believe that economic empowerment doesn’t have to come at the cost of the planet. There are already a billion bicycles out there—you don’t need to replace them all with new e-bikes. Just upgrade them smartly and affordably. That’s the goal.

Impact isn’t just about massive scale—it happens at every scale. Our niche is the 3 to 15-mile commute, a daily routine for nearly 1.5 billion people worldwide. For context, a study in Dhaka, Bangladesh, found that over 30% of bus commuters travel between 3 and 9 miles each day. It’s reasonable to expect similar patterns across other emerging cities.

When you consider that transportation accounts for about 25% of global emissions, it’s clear that even small shifts within this daily commute zone can have a significant cumulative effect. We’re focused on a narrow slice, but small interventions can have outsized impact.

BOLT by CLIP promises to be the most affordable plug-and-play device for turning any bike into an e-bike. How soon will it hit the market?

BOLT by CLIP is nearly ready for production. We've applied a lot of design thinking to figure out how to manufacture it affordably and at scale. For example, CLIP uses many injection-molded parts, which adds manufacturing complexity. In contrast, BOLT is designed as a flat-pack, folded structure—meaning it’s shipped and stored in a disassembled state and then assembled on-site.

We laser-cut the profiles from large sheets of aluminum alloy, then fold them into a structurally stable form that houses the electronics. This approach means we could start production as soon as next month if needed—making it a much faster path to market.

All our injection molding and die-casting is done in Coimbatore, in southern India. Final assembly currently happens in Kolkata, after which we ship the units to our studio in Brooklyn. There, we perform the last stage of assembly—installing the batteries, sealing the device, and conducting load testing.

As we scale up shipping, all assembly will be done in India, with the product shipped fully ready to use. 

Can you share some projects you’re hoping to kick off soon?

One of the clearest examples is an NGO that distributes bicycles to villages so girls can access education. It’s called the Cycle Bank Project. One of our investors, Jayant Sinha, actually helped make that program happen in India. These kids ride 8 to 10 miles daily just to get to school. Something like BOLT by CLIP could make their lives easier—so they can focus on learning instead of struggling to commute in the heat every day.

We’re also looking at Africa. The World Bicycle Relief program distributes bikes across multiple countries there. We’re currently testing BOLT by CLIP on one of their bike models designed for heavy loads and long distances across rugged terrain. With our device, the human effort required was reduced by 50 to 60%, which is fantastic at such a low price point.