The Gears of COMODULE: Sven, the Head of Industry Solutions with a Passion for Cycling
Besides being the tallest person at COMODULE and a proud owner of 6 bicycles, Sven is also one of the friendliest people you could ever meet. His relaxed and sincere demeanor is a perfect combination for doing sales and business development for COMODULE.
Who is Sven?
Sven, an active kid, grew up in 3 different cities in Germany - Dortmund, Munich and Berlin. As his father was in IT sales, he had to move a lot and therefore was already preparing for the life he is living now. “I was a very active kid. From a very young age I learned to ski, ride a bicycle, play tennis and also play football with my 2 brothers and friends” said Sven
From his early days in Dortmund, Sven remembers being an avid Dortmund football club fan that he supports to this day. Sven did well at school and enjoyed subjects like math and foreign languages.
After living in Dortmund, the family moved to Munich and according to Sven, that was quite a big change for him. “We moved to Munich, because my father liked skiing and wanted to be closer to the Alps. At first, I did not like Munich that much. People didn't seem to be so friendly as they were in Dortmund and the school system was totally different” said Sven.
Nevertheless, once Sven caught up in school and got accustomed to the new city, his interests turned more towards friends, music and cycling. “Now as a father of 2, I consider Munich to be a very nice place and even considered moving there. My closest friends are mostly from the time I went to high-school and University in Munich” said Sven.
Another common thread throughout his life is bicycles and cycling. After finishing highschool, Sven and his friend decided to cycle from Munich to the Atlantic Ocean. “This was a very meaningful trip for me. I not only figured out that cycling is a serious means of everyday transportation, but also a means of travelling longer distances. Also, I got a sense that in the future I want to work in a field somehow related to bicycles” said Sven.
Before going to the Ludwig-Maximilians University to study Business and Economics, Sven did some Civil Service, which proved to be a very good learning experience. “I was helping people with serious traumas to rehab and for example to learn to walk again. As a young man, it was a tough job, but at the same time very rewarding to help somebody and to see their improvement” said Sven. In the University, Sven especially enjoyed math and marketing, which he also did his thesis on.
While studying in Munich, Sven also attended one year in the Montpellier University in France. He remembers fondly the nice weather and of course cycling in the beautiful mountainous terrain of southern France. “It was the first time for me being abroad on my own. Most of the students there were international, so I met and hung out with them a lot. I also enjoyed playing golf and did occasional bike trips to Barcelona” said Sven with a big smile on his face.
Towards the end of his studies in the University, he moved to Miami in the U.S. where his parents had moved previously. There, he finished his thesis and got a marketing internship at Lufthansa. “My task was to support the marketing and sales team. It was a great opportunity for me to learn how the industry works and how sophisticated the airline sales projects can be” said Sven.
“When I finished my thesis, I went to Berlin with a clear goal to work in the bicycle industry. Already then I had a strong vision that bicycles and other 2-wheelers will change the future of mobility. I was very lucky that my first job at Winora where I started assisting the General Manager. It was a perfect position in a great company to work the ins and outs of the industry and at the same time grow my network” said Sven.
What does Sven do at COMODULE?
Before coming to work at COMODULE, Sven worked as a Sales Engineer at Brose. “After Winora, I wanted to experience how it is to work at a big company and also the level of innovation in the e-bike industry attracted me very much.” said Sven.
Sven enjoyed and respected Brose very much as they were able to deliver very high quality products in large volumes. Towards the end, Sven was more and more interested in the connectivity technology for e-bikes and the opportunities it represented. “I met Kristjan first when I was working for Brose and COMODULE was our potential connectivity partner. Unfortunately the project did not make it back then, but I am happy I got to meet the COMODULE team and see their enthusiasm for the potential of connectivity. After leaving Brose, going to work for COMODULE was an easy choice to make” said Sven.
Now working for an IoT and connectivity company for 3 years, Sven is very happy about the fact that his instincts on how the industry is going to change, were absolutely right. Sven is in charge of offering IoT solutions for the e-bike industry. Alongside the development team in Tallinn, he is creating new products and new business models for the industry based on connectivity technology. “I enjoy my work very much, I have the opportunity to meet and talk with the most important people in the e-bike industry. Also, I am so happy to see that the popularity of e-bikes and connectivity solutions are on the rise. It was a very different situation even a few years ago” said Sven.
How would you describe the experience of working at COMODULE?
“I really like the people and the culture at COMODULE. Also, when I started, there were 12 of us, now it is around 60, very impressive. At COMODULE you have much more freedom and impact on the outcome. In addition, a lot of talented and hard working people with big goals for the industry” said Sven.
In your own words, what is the mission of COMODULE?
“In short, changing the world by solving the transportation issues with innovative products” said Sven.
Favourite form of transport?
“Cycling” said Sven. In fact, Sven owns 6 bicycles which all have a specific function.
Mountain bike for working out and riding hills.
An old italian road bike for riding with style.
A newer road bike for riding in the city.
Foldable bicycle for longer commutes.
Commuting bike for taking kids to kindergarten etc.
One really cheap bike that he is not afraid to leave at the train station overnight.
“For me bikes are mainly for the daily commute, I can think my own thoughts, enjoy the fresh air and also get a little work out. In my opinion, commuting with a car makes you stupid” said Sven half jokingly.
Thoughts about the future of mobility
As Sven was very accurate predicting the future of the bicycle industry 10 years ago, it is interesting to hear his thoughts on the next 10 years. “I think we already have the technology and the increasing popularity of different 2-wheeler mobility solutions. The next big thing is how market players use existing and reliable technology in order to build sustainable use-cases on top. Overall, we will see more electrification and even more business models based on connecting the vehicles to the internet” said Sven.
You can read more about the stories of our employees here and if you are interested in working with us, click here.
