A serial entrepreneur, Aaron started his first business as a 15-year-old while still in high school. He has since established, sold, and grown ventures within the technology sector. Passionate about collaboration, innovation, and returning manufacturing to Australia, he is demonstrating that it can be achieved through the adoption of advanced technology to achieve cost-comparative products while exceeding quality standards. 

With over ten years of experience in the lighting industry, Aaron has forged relationships with ‘best of breed’ entrepreneurs and innovators across the globe, from Silicon Valley to Germany and Japan. His renewed focus is working on R&D projects which reimagine lighting technology of the future. 

In 2021 InDaily 40under40 for South Australia, Aaron was awarded the state’s top young entrepreneur award, for his development of LED lighting systems. VAILO’S technology has pushed into fields spanning SPORTS, transport, and defense and over the past decade, you may have seen their LED lights lighting up spaces across South Australia such as the Titanium Security Arena and the light, and Art & Technology winter festival here in South Australia, Illuminate Adelaide. 

 Moreover, you may have seen the VAILO name on signage around numerous places as they are sponsoring so many amazing sports and sporting teams such as:

•  Hawthorn Football Club 
•  Adelaide Crows Football Club 
• Sport SA,  
• Adelaide United 
•  Sport NSW 
• VicSport 
• Baseball Australia 
• Adelaide Giants 
• Football SA

On today’s show, we deep-dived into Aaron’s journey of founding VAILO, expanding in SA, and bringing manufacturing back onshore. Aaron shares how having production move back onshore helps to increase employment in South Australia and provides economic benefits for the state in an emerging advanced manufacturing industry. 

Aaron also shared the ambitions and purpose of VAILO focused on constantly researching and developing smart lighting products which will improve sustainability, reduce carbon footprints and provide significant benefits to wide-ranging communities.  

Books  mentioned in this episode:

• Less and More The Design Ethos of Dieter Rams

Where to find  Aaron Hickmann:

• LinkedIn
• Website

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Say hello to our host Daniel Franco on LinkedIn.