Nils Mangold pulls no punches when discussing the fate of Nilman Bicycle, a start-up he founded in Drusenheim (Bas-Rhin) in 2022: “My business is quite simply in mortal danger…” Specialized in the manufacture of 100% French bicycles, this company could go out of business since an improbable mishap that occurred on November 7.
“After working for two years on the design of our bikes, we finally had to move on to the marketing phase during the Made in France show in Paris,” explains the entrepreneur. The three employees of the start-up then head to the capital with four prototypes of their carbon bikes carefully stored in the back of a van. Once arrived at their hotel in Malakoff (Hauts-de-Seine), the employees then unload their luggage and take possession of their rooms.
“The van remained parked in the street for a few minutes. By the time we got back to our vehicle, the four prototypes had disappeared,” says Nils Mangold. The observation is quick: the side door was forced and the four two-wheelers stolen. “It was a blow because we had no model to present at the show and therefore no possible marketing,” confides the man who was a member of the French track cycling team and finished eleventh at the Worlds in 2022. We quickly landed and realized that it was the future of the start-up that was at stake.”
To deal with the emergency, save two jobs and the future of Nilman Bicycle, Nils Mangold launched an online fundraiser. He hopes to raise 30,000 euros by January 9. He estimates the damage at 80,000 euros in this case.
