2017 Under the Radar: ZOHR changing tires, traditional mindset on roadside aid
August 29, 2017 | Bobby Burch
Editor’s note: Startland News picked 10 early-stage firms to spotlight for its annual Under the Radar startups list. The following is one of 2017’s companies. To view the full list, click here.
Nearly anyone with a car can relate to the chore of replacing bald tires or the frustration of a flat.
Not only will you likely have to shell out a few Benjamins, but also find the time to wait for a busy mechanic whose hours are often only during the workday.
It’s this conundrum that Kansas City-based ZOHR aims to soothe with its on-site tire replacement services.
Half tech firm, half automotive servicing shop, ZOHR allows one to schedule a variety of tire services from a phone or computer to be completed at your home, office or stranded on the roadside. Working around your schedule, ZOHR mechanics swoop in like superheroes — but instead of the Batmobile, it’s a teched out van that can mount, balance, plug and rotate your tires.
Now in business for about two years, the company has grown to five staffers and has serviced more than 5,000 tires in the Kansas City area, ZOHR co-founder Komal Choong said. The firm is growing at a rate of about 15 percent month over month, he added. The company — which for now services only the Kansas City metro — also was a part of YCombinator’s Fellowship program, connecting it to mentors and many resources to grow.
Paired with steady growth, ZOHR has ambitious national expansion plans. ZOHR aims to be a household name for automotive services across the country within 10 years, Choong said. The firm is now looking to expand its services to eventually include on-site oil changes and car washes and subscription-based tire rotations.
Fun fact: About 18 months ago, Startland News shared the 1 Million Cups stage with ZOHR. Check out both of the presentations here.
2017 Startups to Watch
stats here
Related Posts on Startland News
Cut from Sandlot’s lineup: Demand for Coaster Oven ‘coming out of the woodwork’
A faint smell of leather washes over customers when they enter Sandlot Goods’ new Crossroads space at 2125 Washington St. But the most recent buzz comes from owner Chad Hickman’s side venture with his brother: Coaster Oven. In the back corner of Sandlot’s workshop, where the Kansas City-born company specializes in leather and stitch work,…
Aug. 9 KC Coworking Day celebrates the future of work — happening now in Kansas City
Editor’s note: The following content about KC Coworking Day is sponsored by the KC Coworking Alliance but independently produced by Startland News. After setting a world record in 2017 for the most people coworking in the same place, KC Coworking Day is set to return Aug. 9 with a party meant to spark even greater…
Emerging from failure: Doughnut Lounge founder gets raw among startup peers (IXKC photos)
Jake Randall’s “crazy dream” — a collision of craft, creativity and conversation contained in Westport’s Doughnut Lounge — was gone in a matter of 24 hours, he said. “I found out on Monday. And we closed on Tuesday,” Randall told a crowd of startup community peers this week at Startland’s Innovation Exchange. “I was embarrassed.…
ShotTracker tech nets entry into NCAA Division 1 sports with Hall of Fame tourney
ShotTracker is advancing in the bracket of startup success, company officials announced Thursday, revealing their game-changing, sensor-based, stat and analytics tracking system will debut this fall at the 2018 NCAA Division I Hall of Fame Classic. In partnership with the National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC), ShotTracker technology — which uses sensors in players’ shoes,…