Mate Rimac facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Mate Rimac
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Rimac in 2017
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| Born | 12 February 1988 |
| Nationality | Croatian |
| Alma mater | VERN University of Applied Science |
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| Spouse(s) |
Katarina Lovrić
(m. 2021) |
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| Awards | Order of Danica Hrvatska |
Mate Rimac (born 12 February 1988) is a Croatian inventor and business leader. He is famous for creating electric supercars and high-tech electric bikes. Mate started his first company, Rimac Group, to build amazing electric vehicles.
His company includes Bugatti Rimac, which makes super-fast cars like Bugatti and Rimac Automobili. It also has Rimac Technology, which provides special electric car parts to other car companies. Mate also started Greyp Bikes, a company that made cool electric bikes. Porsche AG later bought Greyp Bikes.
Mate Rimac won many awards for his inventions when he was in high school. At 19, he turned an old BMW car into an electric one in his garage. This electric car broke several world records! Later, at 23, he built his first electric supercar, the Concept One.
His company, Rimac Automobili, grew very fast. It went from a few employees in 2011 to over 1,000 by 2020. Big car companies like Porsche and Hyundai-Kia invested in his company. Rimac Automobili not only builds its own electric sports cars but also creates electric car parts for many other brands. These include Porsche, Hyundai, Kia, Renault, Jaguar, Aston Martin, and Koenigsegg. Rimac's second amazing car is the Nevera.
Mate Rimac has always wanted to keep his business in Croatia. He believes in bringing car manufacturing to his home country. Motor Trend magazine named him one of the top players in the car industry. Forbes magazine also listed him as one of the "Top 30 Under 30" best young business people in the world in 2017.
Contents
Mate Rimac's Early Life
Growing Up in Croatia
Mate Rimac was born in Livno, which is now part of Bosnia and Herzegovina, in 1988. When he was three, his family moved to Germany to escape a war. They lived there until 2000, then moved to Samobor, Croatia.
Mate found it hard to adjust to school in Croatia. He was even teased for his accent. But Mate loved cars and technology. He spent a lot of time working on his own projects in his parents' garage.
High School Inventions
Mate's high school teacher, Ivan Vlainić, encouraged him to join an electronics competition. Mate didn't think he would do well, but he won first prize! This led him to compete at national and then international levels. He represented Croatia in global electronics and innovation contests.
In 2005, Mate built a special glove called the iGlove. It could replace a computer keyboard and mouse. Soon after, he invented a smart rear-view mirror system. This system helped drivers avoid blind spots and won an award in Germany in 2006. By age 17, Mate had applied for two international patents for his inventions. He won many awards before he turned 18 in countries like South Korea, Germany, and Switzerland.
Mate went to VERN University of Applied Science starting in 2007. He earned a degree in Entrepreneurial Management in 2010. Mate later said that his teacher, Ivan Vlainić, helped him gain the confidence to build a company.
From BMW to Electric Car Records
Mate loved cars and wanted to get into racing. In 2006, at age 18, he bought an old 1984 BMW 323i. It was the cheapest way for him to start racing. During one race, the car's gasoline engine broke down. Mate decided to turn it into an electric car. He was inspired by his hero, Nikola Tesla, who was also an inventor.
Other racers made fun of him for using an electric car. They called it a "washing machine" on the track. But Mate kept working on it. He upgraded the car seven times, replacing many parts with his own new designs. The electric BMW became faster and started winning races.
This car showed how powerful electric vehicles could be. It also highlighted Mate's skills as an engineer. The car even set several world records recognized by FIA and Guinness. Seeing this success, Mate decided to start a company to build electric cars. He founded Rimac Automobili in September 2009, when he was 21.
Mate Rimac's Career
Building Rimac Automobili
Even though Rimac Automobili was founded in 2009, Mate didn't have any employees until 2011. In 2010, he met Adriano Mudri, a designer from General Motors. Mate suggested they work together to create an electric supercar. They both worked on the project at night and on weekends. Mate focused on the technology, and Adriano worked on the design.
By late 2010, they had their first designs and technical plans. Mate's electric BMW was getting attention from the media for winning races. This caught the eye of someone working for a royal family in the Middle East. They were interested in investing in such projects. Mate and Adriano prepared a brochure about their supercar idea. Soon, they got a call that the royal family wanted to buy two cars!
At that time, Mate didn't have a real company, employees, or many resources. He told the potential buyers he couldn't build the cars. But the customers offered to invest money to help him build them. Mate started working on a business plan and received an offer from the investors.
Mate was struggling to pay salaries and rent while trying to build the first prototype of the Concept_One. He had an inexperienced team. Even though he needed the money, Mate decided to refuse the offer to move his company to the Middle East. He wanted to keep the company in Croatia. He later said this was "the best thing I've ever done."
With no other choice, Mate decided to find engineering work for his young company. This would bring in money while he continued developing his car. Rimac Automobili started creating batteries, electric power systems, and even full vehicles for other car companies. This helped them survive while they also built their own supercars and looked for new investors.
Mate always wanted to prove that a car company could be built in Croatia. When he started at 21, he had no experience in the car industry. Croatia didn't have a big car industry either, so he couldn't hire experienced people. He also didn't have enough money to hire foreign experts. He even asked a university for help, but a professor told him it was impossible to build a car in Croatia.
Mate presented their first model, the Rimac Concept_One, at the Frankfurt Motor Show in 2011. Adriano Mudri has worked with Mate ever since and is now Rimac's Director of Design.
For many years, Rimac Automobili was always close to running out of money. It was hard to find investors for a tech company in Croatia. But after years of proving themselves, the company grew. They eventually attracted big investments from companies like Porsche, Hyundai, and Kia.
In 2018, Rimac introduced its next amazing sports car, the Nevera. After more testing, production and deliveries to customers began in 2021. As of 2021, the company is based in Croatia and employs over 900 people. It has become a leader in the competitive electric car industry. The company makes many of its own parts in-house.
In November 2021, Mate Rimac became the CEO of Bugatti Rimac. This is a partnership between the Rimac Group, Bugatti, and Porsche AG.
Greyp Bikes: Electric Bicycles
In 2013, Mate Rimac started Greyp Bikes. This was a sister company to Rimac Automobili. Its goal was to make high-performance electric bicycles. Mate wanted to "change the world" with these bikes.
Greyp sold a variety of electric bikes. They even won a Design Innovation Award for their technology. The bikes had a special "Central Intelligence Module" and an eSim. This kept the bike connected to the internet all the time. A special app allowed riders to navigate, track their fitness, and see data about their rides.
In February 2023, Porsche AG took full ownership of Greyp Bikes. The company is now known as Porsche eBike Performance GmbH.
Awards and Recognition
Mate Rimac has received many honors for his work:
- In 2014, he received the Order of Danica Hrvatska award, which features the face of Nikola Tesla.
- In March 2018, he won the EY Entrepreneur of the Year award in Croatia for his achievements in 2017.
- In 2017, Forbes Magazine named him one of the "Top 30 Under 30" young leaders.
