SMART Tire

SMART Tire isn’t reinventing the wheel — it’s reimagining it.

This company has worked with NASA to create a space-age tire, one equipped for use on Earth. Developed after more than twelve years of research and ten million dollars in government funding, this tire is 100% airless, and made from a shape-memory alloy, a super-elastic material that can pop back into shape after intense strain.

The inspiration for this tire came from NASA — more specifically, one its Mars rovers called “Curiosity.” This rover was tasked with traversing Mars and gathering data. But there was a problem: its wheels couldn’t stand up to the planet’s rocky terrain. The wheels kept getting scratches, punctures, and holes in them. An alternative type of wheel was needed.

That’s when NASA began working on a new type of tire, one made from a recently-discovered class of materials called shape-memory alloys (SMAs). These alloys required no pressurized air and had the ability to remember and recover their original shapes with load or temperature.

The result was the SMART Tire, an SMA-built tire that could roll over rocks and sharp objects, allow the objects to misshape it, then mold right back to its original form.

Not only was this new tire sustainable, it was also lightweight, safe, and delivered a riding experience just as smooth as a traditional air-filled tire.

Recently, NASA has worked with SMART Tire to bring its space-age tire to Earth. The startup has a Space Act Agreement with NASA and grant funding from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). It also has a contract with automaker Hyundai/Kia for an automotive proof-of-concept and collaborations with aviation companies for developing a tire used for landing gear.

SMART Tire’s creation was named a Best Invention of 2023 by TIME Magazine, and the company has been featured in TechCrunch, Fast Company, The New York Times, Car & Driver, and Popular Science.

Notably, the startup has been granted more than half a dozen patents and trademarks.

With its tires, SMART Tire is targeting several massive markets, including the $150 billion automotive market, the $100 billion trucking market, and the ten-billion-dollar commercial-aviation market.

SMART Tire recently introduced METL, a tire designed for bicycles. The company secured a waiting list of more than 20,000 cyclists and expects to launch its cycling tire in 2025. Next year, SMART Tire aims to release a version of its tire for scooters, which could be used by ride-sharing companies with fleets of scooters.

Team Background

Earl Cole - Chief Executive Officer

Earl has spent more than fifteen years designing technology solutions.

He began his career with Honda, the automotive manufacturer. He then co-founded Particle 5 Interactive, a tech company focused on mobile advertising. From there, he co-founded Smush Mobile Technologies, a marketing company that partnered with T-Mobile.

More recently, Earl was a consultant with GOOD Worldwide, a “socially conscious online media company,” where he worked with clients including Google, Apple, and Starbucks. He’s also the co-founder of Fanstreme Sports, which develops apps for sports and entertainment properties.

In addition to his role with SMART, Earl is a consultant with Stanford Seed, a university-based initiative working to end global poverty. He earned a Bachelor’s degree in Marketing and Business Administration from the University of Washington and is a Doctoral Candidate at the University of Southern California. He also studied at Harvard Business School and MIT.

Brian Yennie - Co-Founder & CTO

Brian has an extensive background as a software engineer, including experience with startups.

He began his career as a software engineer with Curriculum Facilitators, an education company. He was then Chief Technology Officer of QLD Learning.

From there, he was Director of Technology for two entertainment companies: Worldwide Biggies and FunGo Play. He then started his own entertainment business, Sifaka Productions.

More recently, Brian was a senior software engineer with Showroom, a software company focused on interior design. After that, he co-founded Fanstreme, the app-development company started with his current co-founder, Earl.

In addition to his role with SMART, Brian is a software engineer with IDEX, a blockchain-related startup. He earned degrees in Mathematics and Computer Science from Dartmouth College and Carleton College.

James Benzing - Chief Tire Officer

James joined SMART Tire after spending more than forty years with Goodyear, the tire manufacturer.

Throughout his career, he’s earned more than fifty patents for his work on tires and conducted consulting with NASA. He’s also an R&D 100 Award Winner, considered to be the “Oscars of Innovation.”

Co-Investors