The Mind Behind Our Innovations
Our CEO and founder, Nathan Watkins, has a goal to positively change the lives of 10,000 people who have limited mobility. He knows that to do this he needs to stay on the leading edge of innovation while keeping cost margins low to allow for affordability. Luckily, he is a brilliant inventor and an excellent listener. His engineering skills matched with his attention to the differently-abled community’s needs, means he will continue to innovate with the goal of improving lives.
How it Started
Nate’s passion for inventing appeared at a very young age when he would make his own toys in his father’s workshop. Nate’s father, an engineer, made pediatric mobility devices at his company Convaid Products Inc. As a teenager, Nate would accompany his father to work and began working on the assembly line. That progressed to become a production welder. As the company grew, he advanced to tool making and production management.
His creativity, ingenuity, and hands-on experiences lead him to a career in engineering as well. Safety has always been a top priority to Nate, so he designed and built the entire product testing department while at Convaid. Some of the machines he invented include: a crash testing track, an accelerated fatigue treadmill, a repetitive drop tester, and a multi-axis tilt table. Nate says these machines are still in use today and are some of his proudest achievements.
A Venture of His Own
As a medical design engineer, Nate noticed wheelchair users asking for change but not being heard. So he built a company to help those in need (read more about our beginnings here). Troy Technologies is different from the average wheelchair manufacturing company because it was founded with the problems for wheelchair users at its core. From the injured to the aging (and a soft spot for disabled kids) Nate listens to differently-abled people and strives to create solutions to their problems. The drive for this constant ingenuity comes from the evolving needs of wheelchair users and the desire to serve them with respect and innovation.
Nate likened his passion for invention to a musician's drive to create new music- there’s really no explaining it, but it is inherently gratifying. To Nate, every new problem is like a mystery that demands to be solved. That’s what sets Troy Technologies apart. Nate’s love for solving problems means constant innovation and incredible customer service. He wants the differently-abled community to have affordable access to products that can change their lives for the better. For example, the FLUX KZI Electric Wheelchair is one of the cheapest of its kind- but it is also extremely lightweight, folds for easy transport, and provides a top-of-the-line daily experience! And that’s what Nate is all about- creating a top-of-the-line experience at a price that is accessible.
So What’s Next?
The next project Nate will be working on is an adjustable width walker. We have yet to see it, but we know it will change the lives of anyone who uses it because quality, functionality, and safety are prioritized in each of our products. Due to Nate’s passion, all of the products at Troy Technologies serve as a solution to the differently-abled community’s problems. And our promise is to continue listening to your needs and innovating new products that improve lives!