Zero founder leaves company

From Zero Motorcycles

SANTA CRUZ, CA – Zero Motorcycles has announced that its founder, Neal Saiki is leaving his daily operational responsibilities for the company. He will be re-entering the Igor I. Sikorski Human Powered Helicopter Competition, which he first pursued at Cal Poly, San Louis Obispo as an aeronautical engineering student in 1989.

Saiki and his wife, Lisa founded Zero Motorcycles Inc. (then called Electricross) in their garage in Scotts Valley, CA in January of 2006. Now, five years later, the company has built a strong management team, an employee base of over 60 people and has just announced the industry's broadest line of electric motorcycles for 2011.

"Neal had the vision, the talent and the courage to launch an electric motorcycle company before there really was an electric motorcycle industry, or even a market. His vision and hard work have helped make Zero the industry leader," stated long-time Zero Motorcycles Board Member, Aflalo Guimarães, Managing Director of The Invus Group, Zero's largest investor. "We are grateful to Neal and will continue to rely on his vision and counsel."

Zero Motorcycles is also a corporate sponsor of Saiki's entry into the competition.

"Founding Zero was exciting, fun and a lot of hard work. At this point, I think it is well established. I'm extremely proud of the team we've assembled to carry Zero into the future. I can now move on to pursuing the dream of building a human powered flying machine," stated Saiki.