Au bambou de mes rêves
Au bambou de mes rêves
The great idea
My idea is to developp new process of transformation of bamboo. I want to standartize and industrialize the bamboo to produce a lot of different products (sport articles, furnitures, decorations, boat, house …). The idea is to transform bamboo culm into bamboo fabrics !
I also want to do this in the full respect of the planet and humans.
I want to start this production in Cambodia, close to bamboo. First I will export my products, but also directly answering to local people needs !
TonyOne passionate French Guy
10 septembre 2015
Around the world
Context
Social situation arround your project
My city is Nantes, it’s a quite ecological place. There are many parks, city farm, community projects which are support by the municpality. Furthemore a lot of associations helps people who want to start a business, so it was kind of a perfect context for my ideas.
But I went two times in Cambodia and I love this country, there are many opportunities and lot of bamboo ! =) I will also be support by two friends in cambodia, one is developping a company and the other one work in a co-working place !
How could it be improve ?
How to fix the world ? OH I have no idea ! Actualy I believe in the power of 1+1+1+1 ! So we need a lot of small ideas and a lot of leaders, inventors, entrepreneurs !
We should create more link between this wonderfull projects and the people who can need it or do the same !
I try do my best on this way =) !
Developpement of your project
How did your project progress ?
Buidling my bamboo bike
During one year I was working in my garage to find new way to use the bamboo. Since the beginning I had in mind to built a bamboo bike and to travel to asia, that was my dream, my motivation. So the first six months I was doing lot of trials, experimentations, machinery, … Without seeing my bike taking shape =( But finally after six other months and a lot of persistance my bamboo bike was born in my garage =) =)
So my bike is made of bamboo fibers that I extracted from the bamboo culm with a process that I develop. I obtained a kind of fabrics wich a I can use with epoxy resin it become a biocomposite. So with this new material I produced all the tubes of my bike and then I fixed them together with bamboo pieces and eposy resin.
So the frame of my bike is fully made of bamboo fibers, there is metals of other components to make the frame strong!
I call this BAMBOOPOWER !! =)
Traveling from France to Cambodia
Let’s hit the road, the 18 of september 2016 I start my journay from France to Cambodia. The goal of this trip is to show my prototype is strong and to put the bamboo in the spotlight =) He deserve it ! After two years and 20 000 km I think I will have shown my bike got potential ! But it will be only the begenning =).
And furthermore I want to learn soo many things about the bamboo in Asia, how it grow, protecting process, encestral hand work, new projects …
Of course I’m also an adventurer, I like to be out of my comfort zone it makes me more curious, alive ! During this trip, I intend to take the time of the meetings and to let me guide to beautiful surprises.
Meeting amazing projects
I also want to highlight amazing projects all over the world. There are many people who work hard to solve social and environmental issues but we don’t know them, or worth we think they are crazy and it’s hopeless … I disagree at 300% ! We should listen their idea and suport them. So via my journey I want to interview theses pioneer and share it on my website !
I already meet an amazing handmade wind turbine project in France; Ti’éole !
And also a Bamboo farm in France; Bambouseraie en Cévennes !
And many others comming soon !
Today ! How is it going ?
I’m on the road =) It’s like a huge market study, I open my eyes, I listen carefully, I’m curious and I learn so much. In Europe I already meet amazing projects, which give me a lot of motivation and hope ! During my travel, I’m writing article about my experiences and meetings, first it’s because I want to share my discory and my enderstanding of the world. And secondly when I will start my bamboo project in cambodia, I will need you, I want to do a crowfounding =). So I hope during this trip we will become friends and you will believe in the BAMBOO POWER !!
Impact and difficulties
What is you superpower ?
My hobby is to use natural materials instead of petroleum products. But also how to recyclate and reuse plastics …
As a Mycgaver of course I believe in the benefits of DIY !
- Raw materials
- Do It Yourself
- Social innovation
- Respect of the nature
- Renewable energy
How can you evaluate your impact ?
Is your impact reach your Goal ?
Did you get difficulties to achieve your goal ?
When I built my bike, it was a complex period because I had so much technical challenges to face. That was really interesting for me but I was nearly the only to believe that I will finish my bike.
I have: spent hours (incalculable) tinkering in my garage, loved and hated bamboo, asked mechatronics questions to my mother, had nightmares of my bike broke in thousand pieces, shout of joys when succeed a tube of bamboo (alone in my garage …), was supported by very good friends, repeated “It works” continuously since I ride my bike bamboo …
Key of success
“There is no problem only solutions”.
I had to keep this in mind everytime, but that’s much more easy to tell than to put into practice … But be positiv and put things into perspective is a good way to overstep.
So when it was difficult either I was taking a break, or calling a friend. It was really important and helpfull to not work all the time and hanging out with my friends.
Also I think it’s important to not work alone on his project (Because of confidentiality for example). I was assist by a specialist in Epoxy resin and I gain a lot of time solving my issues with him than to do mistake by my own during one week !
Futur steps
I’m waiting to be surprise =)
I will (I might / I hope) ride over 15 000 km, having 35 kg of luggage on my bike, meet amazing people from over 25 countries, have painful legs, eat pasta, do wonderfull pictures, meet passionate people and lots of other things I can not even imagine the existence !!
What about you ?
How old are you ?
Position in this project
Dreamer
Entrepreneur
Your main skills
Macgyver
Persistent
Your source of motivation
I love Science and hand work. I love to build and fix stuffs, repair machine and to understand how everything works !
Make me happy ? Let’s say, to be with my friends, doing sport in the nature and work on a new project. I don’t like monotonous work, I love to be faced to difficulties !
My mindset ? We always see the bad side of a situation, the risks … But for me It’s 50/50 chance of win or fail ! And maybe more win! I’m discovering something during my journey; face to a difficult situation when I relax entirely there is always an happy end. Maybe because of my positiv waves who influence the behaviour of people around me =)
Most important skills for a project manager
- Listening people idea or need
- Never exclude a solution because it’s to different, new or unreasonable
- To speak with your heart but to be objective face to a discord with collaborators
Any advice to give to start a project ?
Believe in yourself you have the power ! Interrogate your environment and think differently to find solutions ! That will be the key of success of your idea !
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What is your level of investment ?
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Is your work is answering to your personnal needs ?
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Vas y Tony, tu est un type extraordinaire, mon seul regret t avoir laissé reposé aujourd hui sur la plage a Bansaphan et ne pas avoir bénéficier de la forçe et la magie que tu dégages. En attendant d avoir le plaisir de rouler sous peu sur un vélo de ta conception je te souhaite une bonne fin de voyage et une réussite compléte dans la suite de tes projets, ainsi que de faire partager ton point de vue sur le monde a une grande majorité de gens. Sincérement bonne chance et respect je ne t oublierais jamais quelle chance de t avoir rencontré.
Bonjour Tony,
Je voudrais savoir où tu en es dans ton projet aujourd’hui. As-tu réussi à vivre de ta passion, as-tu le projet de monter une entreprise ou de t’associer?
Je suis moi même ingénieur et intéressée par le bambou pour un projet de fabrication et commercialisation d’un appareil de sport, mais je suis complètement novice dans le domaine du bambou. Ton expérience m’intéresse, si tu as un peu de temps pour me répondre ou un lien internet te concernant, je serai ravie. Bonne journée et peut-être à bientôt. Geneviève