From Formula 1 obsession to freight innovation: how VBI helped Aeroflow build momentum

Sam Evans has been obsessed with Formula One for almost 10 years, an obsession which shaped some of his biggest early decisions.  

When it came time to choose a university, Sam picked one partly because of its Formula Student team. He wanted to get as close as possible to the world of race car design and aerodynamics. He threw himself into building race cars through a university society and became head of the aerodynamics team.

For a while, that looked like the obvious route but somewhere along the line, Sam’s attention shifted from racing cars to something much bigger, slower and far boxier.

“I’ve somehow developed a crazy passion for the aerodynamics of trailers,” Sam says. “I saw these big boxy things rolling down the road and I just couldn’t believe nobody was doing anything about it.”

An idea was born. Today, his business, Aeroflow, is focused on aerodynamic trailer technology designed to improve fuel efficiency and reduce emissions in haulage. But the idea did not arrive fully formed. In its earliest iteration, Sam’s work focused on so-called “boat tails”, a square device fitted to the back of trailers to reduce drag. It made sense on paper and became the focus of his dissertation. Then came a reality check.

“In the summer of 2023, I attended Truckmania in Dunfermline and spoke directly to drivers and operators because I wanted to hear from the people who would actually use the technology. They were all being as polite as they could, but they basically said they wouldn’t use it because they worried about its safety.”  

For some founders, that might have been the end of the road, but if adding something to the outside of a trailer was not the answer, Sam pondered, could the trailer itself change shape depending on how full it was?

That led to Aeroflow’s current concept: a trailer that tapers when it does not need its full boxy shape, reducing drag without creating the same safety or capacity compromises as other aerodynamic add-ons. It was a more practical answer to a real-world problem.

By the time Sam joined the Venture Builder Incubator (VBI), Aeroflow had already secured early support, and he was working on a minimum viable product.  

Even at that stage, he knew there was more to learn. He had already been through the Converge Net Zero Challenge programme, which was a great start, but he felt VBI offered him a chance to sharpen the business, expand his network and be challenged by people who could help him think differently. That aligns closely with VBI’s role as a starting point for progress, helping founders work on the business in real time rather than simply studying it in the abstract.  

“I wanted to join VBI just so that I could learn from people who knew way more than me,” he says.

He found value through the programme’s mix of one-to-one support, workshops and the wider founder environment but there were three individuals in particular that made a big impression.

“It was amazing working with people like Richard Lennox, the entrepreneur in residence and a former director at Skyscanner. I basically gave him a five-minute summary of what we were doing with trailers, which he obviously doesn’t know much about, but he was able to completely dissect it and how we thought about it. It changed my perspective on how to get things done.”

He also points to sessions run by Bob Keiller and Derek Thomson of business advisory consultancy AB15 as standout moments in the programme.

“I thought I was decent at pitching and then I met this awesome duo and it completely changed the way I thought of pitching,” he says. “I’ve never been so engaged in workshop sessions in my life. Bob and Derek are two of the best speakers I've ever listened to.”

Just as important was the cohort itself.  

“It’s very inspiring to be around people who, if they pull their idea off, are going to change a lot in the world.”  

For founders at concept stage, Sam believes it can help them understand the steps ahead and avoid headaches. For those who are further along, the access to mentors and practical insight can still move the business forward in meaningful ways.

“There isn’t a wrong time to be part of VBI. If you’re there to learn, then it’s invaluable.”

Now, Aeroflow’s focus is on finishing its MVP, getting it on the road and building the evidence base behind the technology. A major milestone is coming in June when the company will showcase its technology at the biggest haulage event of the year in the UK, the Road Transport Expo. This opportunity is only possible thanks to funding from VBI.  

The team is also applying for further funding to move from a single taper point to a more advanced multi-taper design.

So, what if a Formula 1 team came calling after all?

“I think it would depend on whether or not we've fulfilled our objective; have we made any real impact on haulage emissions? The reason we're going for licensing the technology is it means the impact the tech can have isn't limited to our own production. It means that we can license it for manufacture in Europe and the US and then it is having an impact everywhere.

“But at the same time, I’m constantly having new ideas for trailers, so we’ll see whether we end up developing them or not.”

Sometimes life’s most interesting journeys begin when you take an unexpected turn.

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Find out more: Aeroflow

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