Alabama Launchpad is a statewide startup pitch competition in which winners receive $25,000 and $50,000. Auburn has two companies applying for the competition—one of which is Vulcan Line Tools. We asked founder Zac Young five questions about his business. Here are his responses.
Tell us about your business.
Vulcan Line Tools produces tools for use in the electric utility industry. We make a device called the Wave Timer – it measures sag, tension, and temperature in a matter of seconds. Vulcan Line Tools reduces electric utility liability and increases efficiency.
Tell us about yourself and your background.
I’m a 22 year old Mechanical Engineering senior at Auburn and I founded Vulcan Line Tools in 2019. I’m following in my father’s footsteps – he has spent his whole life in the electric utility industry and got me interested in all of it. I’m a bootstrapper, tinkerer, and out-of-the-box thinker. Outside of the company, I spend most of my time outdoors – duck hunting, fishing, working on dirt bikes or jeeps, or hanging out at the lake.
How long have you been affiliated with the New Venture Accelerator and what has it meant for you to be there?
I found out about the New Venture Accelerator in August of 2020, and moved into the office space in October. It has been the highlight of my time at Auburn to be a part of this program. I’ve learned so much from Scott [McGlon], Phil [Fraher], Lou [Bifano], and the other student-led companies about business, entrepreneurship, and working hard to achieve a dream. The knowledge and guidance I’ve received in these past few months has propelled my company to a level I never thought it would achieve.
What are your goals for growing your business? What does your next year look like?
Currently we are producing our first batch of units to be sent out to Alabama Power – one of our first customers. We hope to continue acquiring customers, increasing production, and gaining a foothold in the industry over the next year. Right now I’m manufacturing the units myself, so over the next year I would definitely like to bring on an employee to help build the devices.
How would assistance from Launchpad help you achieve those goals?
Assistance from Alabama Launchpad would be huge in helping to achieve our goals. The mentorship and guidance from the Launchpad would greatly help the company to increase production, gain new customers, and help in business decisions (something I need help with – I’m 100% engineer). Access to mentors is also something I have learned is extremely valuable, and Launchpad will be able to connect me with many great people who can help guide me and my company!
For more information about Vulcan Line Tools, visit vulcanlinetools.com
