The SMART Tire Company

What The SMART Tire Company does

The SMART Tire Company, Inc. is a Los Angeles-based materials science company founded in 2020 as a spin-out from the FedTech NASA Startup Program. It holds an exclusive commercial license under a NASA Space Act Agreement with NASA Glenn Research Center for superelastic shape memory alloy tire technologies originally developed for lunar and Mars rover missions, and has built a portfolio of 6+ patents around its core Shape Memory Alloy Radial Technology (SMART) platform, which uses NiTinol+ (nickel titanium) capable of up to 10% reversible strain versus 0.3–0.5% for conventional materials. The first commercial product is the METL airless bicycle tire — a re-treadable design using 50% less rubber than standard tires — scheduled for Q3/Q4 2026 launch through direct e-commerce and a subscription model.

The company operates a multi-segment go-to-market: a product-led beachhead in high-performance cycling and micromobility (with strategic testing partnerships with Felt Bicycles and Spin/Bird Rides), enterprise field sales into automotive OEM partnerships (selected for Hyundai/Kia's Accelerate the Future Challenge in 2022, showcased at Hyundai's 2024 Open Innovation Lounge), and aerospace/defense contracting through the NASA Artemis Lunar Terrain Vehicle program and confidential aerospace customers under NDA. R&D and prototyping are anchored at a 5,000 sf SMART Innovation Lab in Akron, Ohio (near NASA Glenn), with a 50,000 sf manufacturing plant scheduled to open Q4 2026 in the same region.

Revenue mechanics are pre-commercial: the company has raised approximately $1.38M in disclosed funding (an initial $1.3M private round plus $80K via StartEngine crowdfunding, after being declined on Shark Tank Season 13), has built a 20,000+ customer waitlist, and plans to monetize through hardware sales (bicycle tires at premium price points), a subscription model for recurring revenue, custom-priced aerospace contracts (e.g., Artemis LTV), and licensing/IP royalties from its NASA-derived patent estate. Expansion roadmap includes automotive, trucking, eVTOL/aerospace, mining, agriculture, and military tire lines, positioning the company to address the $300B+ global tire market.

Name

The SMART Tire Company

Legal name

The SMART Tire Company, Inc.

Website

https://smarttirecompany.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2020

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

The SMART Tire Company commercializes NASA-derived shape memory alloy (NiTinol+) airless tire technology, launching the METL bicycle tire in Q4 2026 and expanding into automotive, aerospace, trucking, and heavy-equipment segments through OEM partnerships and licensing.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Airless Tire Manufacturing

NAICS

Tire Manufacturing (32621), Tire Manufacturing (except Retreading) (326211), Motorcycle, Bicycle, and Parts Manufacturing (336991)

SIC

Tires & Inner Tubes (3011), Aircraft Parts & Auxiliary Equipment, Nec (3728)

akta.pro primary industry

Tires Manufacturing (IMACAIAK)

akta.pro secondary industries

Passenger Car Tires Manufacturing (IMANAKAA), Aviation Tires Manufacturing (IMANAKAH), Off-the-Road (OTR) & Heavy Equipment Tires Manufacturing (IMANAKAD)

Keywords

• Airless tire technology
• Shape memory alloy tires
• Non-pneumatic tires
• METL bicycle tires
• Lunar tire systems

Headquarters

HQ city

Los Angeles

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Technology or R&D, Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Tire Product Sales: Direct sales of SMART tire products including METL bicycle tires (premium pricing comparable to high-performance racing tires) and future automotive, trucking and aerospace tires. Full purchase model available. Manufacturing in USA (Ohio, Indiana, California).
2. Subscription Model: Subscription model for METL tires with lower initial price point, providing recurring revenue stream. Enables customers to pay over time while company monetizes performance, uptime and certainty rather than failure.
3. Aerospace and Defense Contracts: Revenue from NASA Artemis program LTV contracts and partnerships with major aerospace companies for lunar rover wheel/tire designs. High-value, low-volume contracts for space applications.
4. Licensing and IP: Commercial licensee of NASA's superelastic tire technologies with Space Act Agreement for further development. Patent portfolio of 6+ patents with growing portfolio covering diverse terrestrial and extraterrestrial applications.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

The SMART Tire Company manufactures and sells airless tires built on NASA-licensed Shape Memory Alloy (NiTinol+) technology. The company's first commercial product, METL, is an airless bicycle tire with re-treadable rubber treads that uses 50% less rubber than standard tires and is targeted at commuter, road, gravel, mountain, cargo, and eBike segments. The company is also developing SMART tires for automotive, trucking, aerospace, lunar/Mars rover, eVTOL, industrial, and military applications.

Product overview

The SMART Tire Company offers a portfolio of airless tire products based on proprietary Shape Memory Alloy Radial Technology (SMART), originally developed by NASA for space exploration. The core technology platform uses NiTinol+ (nickel titanium) shape memory alloys that are elastic like rubber yet strong like titanium, providing 100% shape recovery through molecular phase transitions. The first commercial product is the METL Bicycle Tire, an airless tire for cycling applications (commuter, road, gravel, mountain, cargo, eBikes) with re-treadable rubber treads using 50% less rubber than conventional tires. The company is expanding the technology into automotive, trucking, and aerospace segments, including proprietary SMART Lunar Tires for NASA's Artemis program and Superelastic Tires for Mars rover missions. METL products are available through both direct purchase and subscription models.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• METL: The company's first commercial product - an airless bicycle tire made from Shape Memory Alloy Radial Technology (SMART), using NiTinol+ material. METL stands for Martensite Elasticized Tubular Loading.

Products and services

• METL Bicycle Tire Airless bicycle tire made from NiTinol+ shape memory alloy using Shape Memory Alloy Radial Technology (SMART); designed for commuter, road, gravel, mountain, cargo, and eBike use with re-treadable rubber treads using 50% less rubber than standard bike tires; never goes flat, elastic like rubber yet strong like titanium.
• SMART Lunar Tire Customizable rover wheel/tire designs using shape memory alloy technologies for NASA's Artemis Program and CLPS initiatives; capable of carrying multiple astronauts plus cargo across the lunar south pole at extreme temperatures down to -230C.
• Superelastic Tire (NASA Spring Tire, licensed) NASA Glenn Research Center tire technology using shape memory alloys capable of withstanding excessive deformation without permanent damage; originally developed for Mars missions and now licensed by SMART Tire Company for terrestrial and extraterrestrial applications.

Quantifiable outcome

• 50% less rubber used compared to conventional tires
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered flagship, strategic, core and supporting.

• Confidential Aerospace/EV/AV/Mining/eVTOL PartnersflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2026New partnerships to be announced in 2026 under NDA. Includes top aerospace companies (NASA Artemis lunar project and CLPS programs), electric vehicle, autonomous vehicle, mining, and eVTOL companies. These partnerships are currently confidential and under non-disclosure agreements.
• Hyundai Motor Group (Open Innovation Lounge)strategicGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2024Featured at Hyundai's 2024 Open Innovation Lounge showcase in Seoul, displaying prototype airless tire technology among 12 technologies from global startups. Hyundai covers all production costs, parts, and vehicles for participating startups over up to ten months through three-stage verification process.
• Hyundai Motor GroupflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2022Selected through Hyundai-Kia's Accelerate the Future Challenge for paid proof of concept collaboration. Only US-based winner from 158 applications worldwide. Collaboration for SMART tires for automotive applications. Hyundai and Kia have combined revenues over $163B and are at forefront of EV revolution.
• NASA Glenn Research CentercoreTechnology or Integration · 1 January 2021Commercial license and federal Space Act Agreement with NASA Glenn Research Center. STC works with inventors at NASA to explore commercial applications of breakthrough tire technology. NASA Startup Studio 2020 program participant. Enables development of commercial non-pneumatic tires based on high load support and significant deformation with 100% shape recovery.
• Felt BicyclesstrategicStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2021Strategic partnership with top performance cycling brand for product testing and collaboration. Felt provides bikes to support testing of SMART tire technology. Quote: 'We are excited about the potential of METL and we are sharing our knowledge about scooter tire performance and specifications with The SMART Tire Company.' - Eric Sakalowsky, VP Global Marketing & E-Commerce at Felt Bicycles.
• Spin (Bird Rides, Inc.)strategicStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2021Leading micromobility company partnership for scooter tire performance and specifications collaboration. Spin is now owned by Bird Rides, Inc. Quote: 'Sharing knowledge about scooter tire performance and specifications with The SMART Tire Company to help advance our mission to create cleaner, safer and better transportation.' - James Berg, R&D Manager at Spin.
• FedTechsupportingImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerFedTech NASA Startup Program - private venture program funded by federal agencies and corporate partners connecting entrepreneurs to technologies developed across NASA, Department of Defense, DOE, DOT, top-tier universities and corporate R&D. STC was conceived in 2020 as part of this program.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Michelin: Global #1 tire manufacturer and pioneer of the Tweel non-pneumatic tire technology. Comparable as a direct incumbent in pneumatic tires and an existing airless competitor across automotive, commercial, and specialty applications.
• Bridgestone: World's largest tire maker by revenue, with an active Airless Concept non-pneumatic program. Comparable as the dominant incumbent in passenger and commercial tires and as a competing airless-tire developer.
• Goodyear Tire & Rubber: Major tire incumbent and original NASA partner on the Spring Tire program that underpins SMART's technology. Comparable as both a traditional tire competitor and as the historical collaborator whose expertise SMART's chief engineer helped develop.
• Continental AG: Top-5 global tire maker with ContiTech industrial tire operations. Comparable as an automotive and commercial-tire incumbent investing in next-generation tire technologies including airless concepts.
• Pirelli: Premium tire incumbent focused on high-performance passenger, motorcycle, and motorsport tires. Comparable as a premium-tier tire competitor in the same performance positioning SMART is targeting with METL.
• Hankook Tire: Major Korean tire maker with the iFlex airless concept program. Comparable as a broad incumbent and a competing non-pneumatic developer in passenger and future-mobility segments.
• Schwalbe (Ralf Bohle GmbH): Leading European bicycle tire brand with broad product lines including airless options. Comparable as a bicycle-tire incumbent whose premium tier METL directly competes against.

Direct peers

• Tannus (Hong Kong Tannus Co.): Direct competitor in airless bicycle tires using solid polymer (rather than SMA) technology. Most direct comparable for METL because they sell retail airless bike tires today, validating demand in the same niche SMART is entering.

Emerging players

• Specialized Bicycle Components: Premium bicycle brand and direct customer/user of high-performance tires. Comparable as a channel partner and technology validator in the high-end cycling segment SMART targets first with METL.

Others

• NASA Glenn Research Center: Originator of the Spring Tire / superelastic SMA tire technology that SMART licenses. Comparable not as a competitor but as the technology source and ongoing R&D partner through the Space Act Agreement.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/smarttire
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/smarttirecompany
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/smarttire
• Instagraminstagram.com/smarttirecompany
• Facebookfacebook.com/smarttireco

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds2 records

Investors1 record

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about The SMART Tire Company