CASTODIAN's mission: giving everyone the safest helmet possible

Why do you wear a helmet? To your head, is the funny answer. Not funny is the reality, which is that safety - which after all is the primary goal - is then in most cases not guaranteed. For example, did you know that a helmet has an expiration date? Bart Groothuijze knows. His in-depth knowledge about helmets led to the company Castodian. He tells how he works on his mission "always the safest helmet available, for everyone, worldwide.

The addition worldwide says something about the scope of his mission. And looking at the numbers, it is clear what gigantic problem Bart wants to solve. Are you sitting down? An unsafe helmet is one of the main causes of 400,000 deaths, 15 million serious injuries and a cost of 240 billion dollars a year among motorcyclists alone. And counting..., because the use of speed pedelecs and scooters, which require a helmet, is also booming. 

"That was my cue."

Bart acquires his helmet knowledge from the age of 16 to 26, during his job at the local motorcycle store. After completing his studies in Commercial Economics, he works at and for various companies - some of which he owns - and most recently at Oost NL, a regional development company. Bart remembers exactly the moment when he was gripped by his mission. "The news article that Cora van Nieuwenhuizen, Minister of Infrastructure and Water Management, in consultation with the KNMV acknowledges that old helmets are unsafe, that was my cue. The starting signal for a radical decision. I quit my job and went to work full-time to make the use of helmets safer."

More stars during the day than at night

Bart develops the thinking around safe helmets, which he articulates in six basic things that together make every helmet safe for its user. And at the same time, he and a team of specialists are developing a sensor that basically makes every helmet the safest helmet for its user, before, during and after an accident. About the six criteria, Bart explains, "Actually, they are so logical that they are open doors. But by now I know that most people see no problem in getting on a motorcycle with a helmet that is 15 years old, with so many scratches on the visor that you see more stars during the day than at night."

Sensor provides notification to 112

The six criteria are: the correct certification for a helmet (for e.g. racing, touring or the country in which you ride), the helmet has no defects or damage (such as a scratched visor), the age of a helmet (whether you use it or not, after an average of 7 years the inner material of a helmet no longer absorbs shocks), the correct fit (a safe helmet is tight around your whole head, a helmet that is too big acts like a guillotine), contamination (inside and outside) and correct application (such as closing the chin strap). The sensor Bart is developing plays an important role in these six criteria. It measures vibrations, noise, g-forces, etc. And at extremely high impact, the sensor notifies 112 if the owner does not respond within a certain time frame.

Establishing commercial businesses

The contact with a former Poelmann van den Broek lawyer at the time was mainly exploratory, but Bart does foresee knocking on Poelmann van den Broek's door with legal issues in the future. Bart: "We rented a workplace at Startup Nijmegen and that's where I came into conversation with a lawyer at the time. He immediately hit the heart of the matter with incisive questions about liability in the Netherlands and other countries. With the Castodian foundation, I want to create awareness among all stakeholders and especially NGOs and governments. I also want to establish other business forms for commercial activities that support the Castodian philosophy, such as a helmet refitting service. I really like knowing already now that I won't then have to worry about any legal risks."

Techleap.nl with figurehead Constantine of Orange

A highlight of the company's existence for Bart is the invitation he received from Techleap with figurehead Constantijn van Oranje, which connects startups with investors. As a result, Bart went as one of the selected innovative startups to the CES, the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas. Meanwhile, Bart speaks with the WHO, the FIA (international federation of various national car, motorsport and motorcycle clubs), the ACEM (The Motorcycle Industry in Europe), the EU and governments of countries such as Australia, Singapore, Central and South America. Bart: "Recently I was in contact with Mona Keijzer, State Secretary for Economic Affairs and Climate and she too was amazed at how big the impact is and how little attention is paid to it." 

Money plays a big role

Well-known helmet brands like Arai and Shoei are also very interested in Castodian's business, and a few brands would like an exclusive deal regarding the sensor. But Bart is not interested in that. And that immediately illustrates a difficult point, which, however, doesn't let him off the hook. "Money plays a big role and makes things not go as fast as I would like. But I stick to my mission, I think everyone has the right to the safest helmet for him or her, from the Dutch motorcycle fan to the moped riders in Vietnam." Are you interested in Castodian's activities? Feel free to contact Bart Groothuijze at castodian.com.

Poelmann van den Broek and StartUp Nijmegen

The #startupsanddowns column shows what Poelmann van den Broek can do for businesses in the nearby business incubator StartUp Nijmegen. A then-attorney Entrepreneurship has committed himself there on behalf of Poelmann van den Broek by guiding business owners and holding regular consultation hours and sparring sessions. He does this because we as a firm believe that young business owners deserve a flying start and because of his personal interest.