Whitman Kwok

Post-pitch story

Whitman Kwok was an executive at Guidewire when it went public in 2012. What sent him into helmets was personal: his son's hockey concussions. KAV Sports makes custom-fit, 3D-printed helmets for cycling and hockey, built to the shape of each wearer's head. Season 13, Episode 4 aired in March 2025 under the title "A New Era in Manufacturing," and that was the real pitch. Instead of factories with million-dollar molds and warehouses of inventory, KAV runs small "micro-factories" filled with printers that cost about $1,000 each and makes helmets only after they're ordered. At the time, its first dedicated micro-factory was about to open. The Pitch marks the episode as funded, but we couldn't find who invested or how much, so that part rests on the show's own pages. The idea goes beyond helmets. If KAV can show that small, cheap print farms can make safety gear profitably, the same model could work for other products. For now, the test is simple: more athletes in helmets that fit, and a business that keeps up with demand.