Like many classic New Zealand innovators, Frank Witowski founded his company, Hybrid Bikes, in his garage. He was initially told it wouldn’t be possible, but with an engineering background and some stubborn enthusiasm, he designed a range of carbon fibre e-bikes that are now selling all over the world.

Frank’s bikes are customisable for a range of uses, and have been incredibly popular for their quality, affordability and durability. 

In this episode of Flying the Fern, host David Downs talks to Frank about:

• How he developed the Hybrid e-bike with no prior cycling experience 
• How making his bikes affordable created another challenge to overcome
• The differences between various overseas markets, and how he approached them
• How easy he found it to set up a business in New Zealand
• New Zealand’s advantage in being able to connect with other experienced business people