Dash: The Future-Proof Electric Longboard
Today, RDV is excited to announce our support of Dash ElectricF, an electric longboard invented by Northeastern middler Ian Carlson. Unlike other offerings in the space, Dash is sold as a kit that can be installed on any existing longboard. At under $500, it is half as expensive as the cheapest board currently on the market.
Ian developed the first prototype of Dash for Northeastern’s Husky Startup Challenge. His DIY-looking prototype could whizz audience members across the floor with a jerk, and speed up and slow down via a converted RC car remote. The board was developed over a period of three months by Ian, who before starting the project had no formal engineering experience. This made the demo all the more impressive, and he earned first place and a $2000 cash prize for his efforts.
Shortly after, he was awarded the $1000 Prototype Fund from IDEA, Northeastern’s Venture Accelerator.
His first-semester graphic design classes offered little in the way of engineering help; to develop his first prototype he relied on internet tutorials in CAD (computer-aided design), electrical systems and physics, combined with a natural curiosity and relentless trial and error. For his second prototype, he designed the parts and had them 3D printed. These, along with a refined electrical system and some good old-fashioned duct tape, made the second version a bit more suited to everyday riding; he would “beta test” the board every day on his commute to and from school and his Mission Hill apartment.
This experience and self-taught engineering know-how landed Ian a co-op at Bethcare, or Benevolent Technologies for Health, a startup backed by Bolt, a Boston-based venture capital fund for promising hardware companies.
Ian’s vision is ambitious, he sees his low-cost alternative to the $1000–2000 electric longboards on the market as filling a void for young commuters and longboard enthusiasts. In his words:
“The current products on the market are not priced appropriately for this market, most costing over $1000. We realized early on that Dash needed to be affordable… we offer a fully equipped kit that can be attached to any longboard on the market. This eliminates the need for existing longboard riders to purchase a new longboard, instead, they can just buy a kit that will strap on their board. Streamlining our product into something simple and reliable is a big part of how we keep Dash under $500.”
Ian plans to sell the product through Kickstarter and other channels later this year, and in that effort and beyond, we wish him continued success.
— David and the Rough Draft team
