46: Leo Koenig - CEO/Founder WOO Sports - The man responsible for the gamification of kiteboarding!

Intriguing Beings Podcast

Leo Koenig, the founder of WOO Sports, shares his journey of getting into the water sports world and developing the WOO device. The small blue box that attaches to a kiteboard and measures the height of jumps. Leo discusses the challenges of manufacturing and finding reliable suppliers and the importance of trust and good relationships in business. He also talks about the decision to narrow the company's focus to kiteboarding and its impact on the sport. The journey of developing the WOO device was filled with challenges and setbacks, but the team persevered. They had to overcome waterproofing issues, component obsolescence, and manufacturing challenges. The WOO 4.0 is a significant improvement from the original device, with advancements in technology, motion sensors, and the device's sealing. The WOO community has grown to 45,000 members, and the device has invigorated the sport of kiteboarding by making it more fun. Safety is a priority for WOO, and they aim to promote responsible use of the device. The company also plans to formalise the world record chase and attract more spectators and sponsors to the sport. WOO uses rotation information from the board to accurately detect jumps. They have systems in place to detect and address any measurement errors or cheating attempts. Self-policing is encouraged within the community, and WOO has automated systems and a human referee to ensure fair competition. WOO's competition pushes them to improve and educate the market about the science and technology behind their product. They have joined forces with Boards and More to offload non-value-adding tasks and focus on delivering even more value to customers. WOO is constantly working on new developments and innovations.