From Ski Helmet to Global Brand: The $873 Pivot That Changed Everything
What do you do with $873 in the bank and a product no one can use during a global lockdown? If you're UNIT 1, you pivot—hard. This is the story of how a ski helmet startup turned a crisis into a global movement by rethinking what safety should look like.
The Pitch That Almost Was
Two weeks before the pandemic, the UNIT 1 team was in Los Angeles, pitching their next funding round.
They had just built a sleek smart ski helmet—complete with built-in comms and a vision to reinvent a category frozen in the '90s.
VCs were taking meetings. Growth plans were in motion. The momentum was real.
The World Stops
Then the pandemic hit.
Ski resorts shut down. Investors disappeared.
The team had $873 in the bank and zero clue what to do next.
The Pivot
From Slopes to Streets
So they made a call: stop chasing the mountain. Move to the street.
That was the pivot.
From seasonal gear to everyday necessities.
But Helmets Were Stuck in the Past
Helmets hadn’t changed in 30 years.
They’d gotten stronger and lighter—but still failed the “want to wear” test.
UNIT 1 wasn’t just building another helmet—they were solving the real reason people don’t wear them.
The Rebuild
Starting From Scratch
No team. No agency. No product line.
Just belief.
From kitchens, basements, and bedrooms during lockdown, they built a new kind of helmet.
Enter FARO
They called it FARO—lighthouse in Spanish. A signal in the fog.
No office. No AI. Just grit.
Because after three decades of stagnation, someone had to build the helmet people actually want to wear.
So they did.
The Problem They Solved
Safety Only Works if It’s Worn
No one wants to wear something that makes them feel like a traffic cone. FARO wasn’t just a helmet. It was a statement. A helmet designed to blend in, not stick out.
What Made FARO Different
Built-in smart lights, seamlessly integrated
Subtle visibility tech that didn’t scream for attention
Materials that felt premium, not cheap
A silhouette riders would be proud to wear—even when not riding
It Wasn’t About More Features
It was about rethinking the whole idea of what a helmet could be. Not just safer. Smarter. Sharper. Wearable safety. That’s what they were building.
What Happened Next
From Crowdfunding to Global Reach
Their crowdfunding campaign blew past its goal
They now ship to over 80 countries
Stromer named them their official helmet partner
PON Group, one of the top mobility giants in the world, invested in their vision
Still, the Mission Stays the Same
They’re redesigning safety for a world that actually moves.
Because protection doesn’t matter if it stays on the shelf.
They didn’t plan for this story.
But they’re damn proud of how it ends.
UPDATED: APR 21, 2025
PUBLISHED: APR 21, 2025