Aleck, a wireless audio and communication systems brand for outdoor sports, has confirmed its acquisition of Tocsen, the German maker of intelligent helmet-mounted crash sensors.
Tocsen was founded in 2019 by Alexander Schumacher, Andreas Botsch, and Malte Buttjer after a close friend suffered a broken neck while biking alone and was found unconscious by hikers. This experience sparked the team to create a smart sensor that could detect a fall and immediately alert a life-saving emergency response.
The first Tocsen crash sensor was launched in Germany via a crowdfunding campaign and is now used by over 30,000 cyclists and other outdoor athletes. Tocsen’s crash sensor technology has also been integrated into the design of select uvex, Alpina and EKOÏ bike helmets.
Aleck was founded in 2018 by Stephen Catterson. Its flagship product, the Aleck 006TM, delivers wireless hi-fi audio and comms to any compatible snow helmet and is driven by the free Aleck app. In North America the brand is distributed – among others – in over 120 REI stores.
Aleck has also partnered with global helmet and eyewear manufacturer SMITH. This partnership led to the development of the co-branded ‘Smith x Aleck 006’ audio and comms system.
Tocsen’s management, product development, and administration teams will be integrated into Aleck, and the company adds that it is committed to continuing strong relations with Tocsen’s consumers and partners, including independent bike and snowsports retailers. Tocsen headquarters will remain in Freiburg, Germany.
Reflecting the new acquisition, Aleck has also announced a redesign of the Aleck brand logo, which now incorporates the iconic pink Tocsen Viking. The rebrand aims to signify… ‘a commitment to collective growth in product development and global sales with the mission to create products and services that make outdoor sports more immersive, social, and safe.’
“We are excited to welcome Tocsen and its team to Aleck,” said Stephen Catterson, founder and CEO of Aleck. “This is a brand we have watched with admiration as they’ve brought their visionary product technology and well-designed support app to an impressive community of users throughout Europe.
“With complementary products that align perfectly with Aleck’s mission, this is a perfect union, and we look forward to working together to bring more innovative technology to the outdoor sports market.”
Malte Buttjer, Tocsen co-founder and new CTO, said “We are proud of what we’ve created with Tocsen and the community of first responders we’ve helped build to keep athletes safe.
“Joining Aleck is a natural next step for our growth, given their strong reputation in the outdoor sports market and established distribution channels throughout Europe and North America. The future looks bright, and we are excited to work with the Aleck team to bring our crash sensor technology to more users worldwide.”
