See.Sense

Tell us about your company

Based in Newtownards in Northern Ireland, See.Sense creates award-winning cycling tech products that improve cycling and generate data insights that help transform our cities for more cycling.

We want to make cycling safer and better so that more people will travel sustainably for short journeys.  This will help to reduce congestion, pollution, and improve health.

Philip, Co-founder and CEO, originally invented the See.Sense bike light to improve his visibility on the bike, with a daylight visible, reactive bike light.  We realised the sensor data we gather through the light could also be used to help cities improve conditions for cycling.

We sell our bike lights B2C and work B2B on smart data projects with organisations such as local authorities and city transport planners.

We are excited that cities are starting make use of the data we collect, which will help to transform cities for more cycling.  We want to see See.Sense technology on every bike.

What are your ambitions in New York?

We would love to land a deal to work with the city on a data project to improve cycling in New York.

New York is a sophisticated city in terms of use of data, it has a commitment to and has invested heavily in cycling, and has recently signed up to Vision Zero.

How has the Department for Business and Trade helped you?

We have found DBT to have invaluable knowledge of the local market, and very proactive in their support.

Outside of their help with the US, we have also participated in a DBT trade mission to India, and innovation programmes to Israel and Australia. DBT has also helped us engage in market research in Spain and Belgium.

"Hi! We’re Philip and Irene, husband and wife duo, and the co-founders behind See.Sense.

We first launched our innovative ‘intelligent’ and daylight visible bike light on Kickstarter in 2013. Today, through the amazing support of the cycling community, See.Sense’s award-winning and growing range of products are now used by more than 100,000 cyclists worldwide, and we are partners to both British Cycling and Cycling Ireland.

The patented technology inside See.Sense products enables our community to share powerful, anonymised sensor data insights that can be used by leading cities to improve safety, and cycling infrastructure so that more people can ride.

We also work with B2B clients such as bike share and e-scooter fleet operators, to provide advanced data insights, as well as forward-thinking employers who wish to encourage more people to cycle and meet their sustainability goals.

Outside of work, Philip is a keen technology and cycling enthusiast. Irene is listed in Cycling UK’s 100 women in cycling and is an active member of Cycling Industry Europe’s expert groups on connected cycling and innovation.

As you can see, we are huge cycling enthusiasts and we’re excited to bring our passion to New York!"

What have been the benefits of exporting to your company?

Exporting has provided us with growth, creating jobs, but also learning and collaboration - we have learnt a lot from our project collaborators in the US, Australia and Portugal.

What one piece of advice would you give other UK companies watching the series?

From the outset we designed our company to be able to export. It’s worthwhile trying out your go-to-market strategy in your home country first, but after that there is no reason to limit yourself.