Q: What fundamental problem does the Oru Kayak solve? Dr. Lang folded everything from anatomically correct paper insects to a NASA space telescope lens. Q: Did materials influence or guide the design process? Company founder Anton Willis described Vancouver as the ideal environment for the Oru Kayak. I grew up in the rural backwoods of Northern California. I’m Anton Willis of Oru Kayak. Before the launch of the Inlet, Oru kayaks were iterations of an original folding pattern that Willis had developed when Oru launched in 2012. For many years this was how most folding kayaks were made too. The Oru Kayak Beach LT folding kayak measures 12 feet by 28 inches and weighs approximately 25 pounds. That was a really exciting idea, but figuring out how to go from one to the other took a lot of doing. For a while I lived with that, but then I had the idea that it could actually become a box that would be more self contained, would look okay, and that you could put other accessories into. However, to achieve the specifications of the Inlet, Anton Willis, Founder + CDO, spent 2yrs inventing an entirely new origami folding pattern that prioritizes spatial efficiency and elimination of floating parts. ", How We Started A $400K/Month Origami Folding Kayaks Business. He began with printer paper, then moved on to cardboard, and finally to that same corrugated plastic used to make lawn signs and U.S. After he designed a prototype, he got $500,000 in funding from Kickstarter in 2012. I’m Anton Willis of Oru Kayak. Its design utilizes principles of origami to derive incredible structural strength from simple, lightweight materials. It has a padded foam seat and can support up to 300 pounds. This company has built a reputable kayaking presence and offers the top three most sought-after folding vessels in … We make origami kayaks that fold up into a portable box. Paacked away and ready for transport. Lists Featuring This Company. Oru Kayak is a San Francisco based startup that manufactures high-performance, folding kayaks. Oru Kayak General Information Description. After moving to a small San Francisco apartment, architect Anton Willis was sadly forced to put his fiberglass kayak into storage. Oru Kayak began on Kickstarter. A: The material we use now is a close relative of what we started with, but custom made to our specs so it’s heavier duty. Founded over ten years, Oru is a brick-and-mortar brand that offers the most durable and high-performing folding kayaks for beginners to advanced kayakers. The inventor and founder of Oru Kayak, Anton Willis, had a fascination with origami, the Japanese art of folding paper into three dimensional shapes and figures. Designer and Oru Kayak founder Anton Willis grew up in rural Mendocino County, with easy access to rivers, lakes, and the ocean. We caught Willis in a rare moment of free time and chatted about the challenges he faced and the insights he gained while creating the folding vessel that’s redefined paddling. Active, Closed. He had a hard time keeping a kayak … All images courtesy Oru Kayak. I’ve seen it on the backs of motorcycles, there’s a lot of places it can go. SolidSmack Sessions | Interview with Oru Kayak Founder and Designer Anton Willis. Our revenues are around $5 million per year. Anton Willis, the founder of Oru, got the idea for a folding kayak after he saw a story in The New Yorker about origami. Founder Pravda Capital ... Investor and a director of Oru Kayak. Soon he was confronted with a choice: leave the folding kayak as a side project or admit he was becoming a businessman and attempt to bring the boat to market. Photo by Oru via Facebook. Despite the failure, Willis persevered with his folding. 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