BomBoard LLC
The BomBoard is designed to make it possible for tens of thousands of new enthusiasts to enjoy the thrills of riding the waterways of their.
| Date | Investors | Amount | Round |
|---|---|---|---|
| N/A | €0.0 | round | |
| investor investor | €0.0 | round | |
| N/A | $640k | Seed | |
| Total Funding | 000k | ||
BomBoard LLC, founded by serial entrepreneur John West around 2008, aimed to disrupt the personal watercraft (PWC) market by targeting action sports enthusiasts and those constrained by storage and transportation limitations. West, a KPMG Entrepreneur of the Year recipient with a history of launching and selling tech companies, including one to Boeing, identified a gap in the market for an affordable and portable PWC. He was joined by a management team that included Anders Stubkjaer, a Wharton MBA with experience as COO/CFO in the powersports and other industries, who served as BomBoard's COO/CFO.
The company's core offering was the BomBoard, a high-performance watercraft with a patented modular design. The PWC could be disassembled into four to six modules in under a minute, allowing it to be transported in the trunk of a car and stored easily, thus eliminating the need for a trailer. The product underwent significant evolution, with initial prototypes featuring a 250cc engine and later versions upgraded to a 450cc engine, producing approximately 45 horsepower. This powerful engine, combined with a lightweight hull weighing around 165 pounds, enabled the watercraft to reach speeds of up to 45 mph. The design allowed for multiple riding positions—sitting, kneeling, or standing—to cater to different styles.
BomBoard's business model was centered on a direct-to-consumer approach, bypassing traditional dealerships to offer a competitive price point, initially projected at $3,495 and later listed at $3,995. This strategy was intended to make the PWC accessible to a younger demographic that might be priced out of the traditional market. The company engaged in several funding initiatives, including a seed round and crowdfunding campaigns on platforms like Indiegogo, raising nearly $2 million. Despite winning a design award from NASA Tech Briefs in 2015 and generating initial interest, the company appears to have ceased operations, with data indicating it went out of business in late 2024.
Keywords: personal watercraft, modular PWC, portable watercraft, action sports, jetski alternative, John West founder, watersports startup, direct-to-consumer PWC, lightweight watercraft, high-performance watercraft, collapsible watercraft, affordable jetski, car-transportable boat, recreational goods, powersports innovation, Anders Stubkjaer, Wisconsin startup, crowdfunding watercraft, modular boat design, personal action watercraft