In May 2022, Glory Fund completed an investment in Guangdong Shunde Sensah Smart Sports Equipment Co., Ltd. (“Sensah Smart”). Proceeds from this financing round will be primarily used for R&D and production of bicycle drivetrain systems, as well as market promotion.

Glory Fund’s comment

Glory Fund believes: “The national strategy to develop a green economy and achieve green growth brings new opportunities for bicycle development. The drivetrain is the core component of a bicycle’s transmission system and the most profitable segment of the bicycle value chain. Although China is the world’s largest bicycle manufacturer, the drivetrain market has long been dominated by international brands such as Japan’s Shimano and the U.S.’s SRAM. Glory Fund is optimistic about Sensah Smart’s technological breakthroughs and innovation capability in the field of high-end domestic drivetrains, its advances in patent barriers, and the strong competitiveness of its products. We also highly regard the company’s management and technical team. Sensah Smart is well positioned to gradually break the monopoly of foreign giants within its market niche. Glory Fund is willing to grow together with outstanding companies, promote technological innovation and sustainable development, and support the upgrade of the bicycle drivetrain industry.”

Company overview

Founded in 2014, Guangdong Shunde Sensah Smart Sports Equipment Co., Ltd. focuses on the R&D and production of performance-level bicycle drivetrain systems and possesses drivetrain R&D capabilities that are relatively scarce in China’s bicycle industry. The core project team comes from the international industry giant SRAM and has around twenty years of industry experience. The company has achieved independent innovation and several technologies that have broken international monopolies. Core products include shifters, front derailleurs, and rear derailleurs for bicycle drivetrains, as well as compatible cassette and chainring systems within the drivetrain. Sensah Smart’s main products have won market and consumer recognition and are exported to South America, Northern Europe, North America, and Southeast Asia, receiving widespread praise.

Although a bicycle’s structure appears simple, the drivetrain is the most technically sophisticated part — analogous to the chip in a smartphone. A drivetrain is a precision mechanical system with manufacturing tolerances at the micron level, requiring long-term accumulation in manufacturing and marketing, as well as breakthroughs against the robust intellectual property barriers established by international giants. Sensah Smart has successfully developed and produced a full range of mountain-bike drivetrains and high-end road-bike drivetrain kits. Selected series include:

ARX Series

Building on its unique rear-derailleur architecture, the ARX series incorporates a guide-arm damping system and, by offsetting the upper jockey wheel, launches a new kit that supports 13-speed drivetrains and extra-large 52-tooth cassettes. The 13-speed rear derailleur maintains the company’s hallmark attention to detail and fine machining, featuring large cutouts and bearing jockey wheels; even the fine-adjustment screws use user-friendly stainless steel hex sockets, while the top fixing screw is machined from aluminum alloy with cutouts — workmanship that rivals major international manufacturers.

Looking ahead, Glory Fund will continue to empower Sensah Smart and accompany the company as it grows into a well-known, competitively advantaged domestic and international bicycle drivetrain brand.