Brainchild Tech – The Smart Future of Kitesurfing

What is it and where has it come from?

Although Brainchild as a company is in its infancy the brains behind it have been shaping the kite industry for the past decade. Ralf Grösel is the man behind Brainchild and its innovation but prior to setting up his new venture he has designed for Flysurfer, Naish and Boards & More (Duotone) and with the latter he was responsible for the Vegas, Dice, Juice, Rebel and maybe most noticeably in the recent rise of in popularity of Big Air, the Evo and Evo D/Lab which helped Lorenzo Casati and Andrea Prinicipi wing Kitesurfings most coveted prize – Red Bull KING OF THE AIR.

Having worked with many of the top riders and having created some of the most recognisable kites ever Ralph left Board & More to start his own production Company – BRAINCHILD. Beyond performance, Brainchild is making remarkable strides in sustainable manufacturing. The company operates its production facility entirely on solar power, minimizing its carbon footprint while ensuring energy efficiency. Moreover, Brainchild incorporates recycled plastics and sewing threads into its production processes, setting a new standard for eco-conscious innovation in the kitesurfing industry.

Harlem & Brainchild

The first kites we saw in competition under the banner of Brainchild was from one of the smaller kite brands, Harlem Kitesurfing. The release of the Harlem Force was timed with the signing of Lorenzo Casati and his younger brother Leonardo and this kite featured the Game Changing Brainchild tech. With the excitement of Ralph’s designs and technology and Lorenzo’s high octane, boundary pushing riding style it jumped Harlem Kitesurfing up to one of the most talked about brands out there and with not a huge amount of time on the Kites Lorenzo took the second spot in 2023 King Of The Air for back to back podiums and was only beaten by, arguably the rider of the year Andrea Principi who was riding the Grösel designed Evo D/Lab.

Brainchild “Game Changing” Technology

The technology featured in the Harlem Force is one of Brainchild’s most ground-breaking contributions to kitesurfing is its patented PROWELD technology. Unlike traditional stitching, PROWELD uses ultrasonic welding to fuse the segments of a kite’s leading edge, significantly enhancing the structure’s stiffness and responsiveness. This technology offers 25% greater torsional stiffness and reduces weight by 15%, allowing for a more direct, controlled, and stable ride. expect superior handling and improved aerodynamics, making their sessions smoother and more efficient.

This paired with the is also redefining how kite canopies are designed. The company has developed an advanced digital printing process for canopy materials, which eliminates the need for traditional dyeing techniques. This innovation not only enables intricate and highly customizable designs but also significantly reduces water consumption and environmental impact. Additionally, digitally printed canopies weigh less than their traditionally dyed counterparts, further enhancing kite performance by improving lift and reducing drag.

Brainchild in more brands:

Ralph and Brainchild are not a kite brand, Harlem are the first brand to feature Brainchild kites in their line up but with Ralph/Brainchild being the manufacture they have offered their services out to the wider market.

Reedin were the first brand to jump on board and their designer, Damien Girardin who himself has helped redefine kitesurf technology with the Naish Pivot, Quadtex canopies and much more. The Reedin Hypermodel was Reedin’s high performance Aluula kite released at the end of 2023 but after Ralph and Damien came together Reedin dropped the Aluula in favour of the Brainchild Hypermodel production, a pretty big move considering the time, effort and money that would have gone into developing the more expensive Aluula kite.

Next Up, F-One who at the time appeared to be falling behind in the Big Air competition scene with the original Trigger not keeping up with the height and manoeuvrability the top competitors now needed. Raphael Salles was helping shape kitesurfing as a sport in its infancy and is now the head of research and development for F-One. Needing a top tier rider to pair with the new Brainchild Trigger, Jamie Overbeek had been unsigned and using/testing/experimenting with multi brands but the lure of a new top end kite from a brand steeped in history was too much to turn down and just in time to showcase the unfinished design at King Of The Air.

Brainchild and the G.O.A.T

Ralph was a key reason that Aaron Hadlow joined Duotone and they worked together developing, testing and bringing to market most of Duotone biggest selling kites, newest tech as well as helping develop the skills of the new up and coming top riders.

When Ralph quietly left Duotone (as designers often do out of the spotlight) to start Brainchild in 2022, Aaron kept competing at the highest level but in the early Summer of 2024 months Aaron announced his departure from Duotone, who are arguably the biggest kite brand world wide and within a week or two was joining Harlem. Aaron has always prided himself on his kit, so him joining one of the smaller teams is a real nod to Brainchild and their development of high end kites.

Since joining Harlem Aaron has been involved with the Thrive five strut kite, the Launch performance Freeride Twintip and Sneaker footstraps.

With social media full of sneak peaks of the a new kite coming you know the shortly to be announced Peak is going to be good. It will be a full collaboration between Ralph and Aaron with feedback from top riders like Lorenzo, Leonardo, Clément Huot and Lana Herman.

A New Era in Kitesurfing

Brainchild Production is not just pushing boundaries—it is redefining the future of kitesurfing. With its relentless focus on performance, sustainability, and design, the company is setting new industry benchmarks. Riders who seek lighter, stronger, and more efficient gear will find Brainchild’s innovations to be game-changers in the way they engage with the sport.

As the world of kitesurfing evolves, Brainchild Production stands out, proving that the pursuit of performance and environmental responsibility can go hand in hand.

With 2025 being a year of Red Bull sponsored Big Air qualifying events culminating in Red Bull King Of The Air which every top riders highest regarded competition, it will be a super interesting year for Brainchild as we will see them take on Aluula Kites from Duotone, Core, North, Slingshot, Cabrinha, Naish and Ozone as well as some more traditional materials from Flysurfer. It will be interesting to see who comes out on top.

Make sure you check out all the top kites here – https://www.kingofwatersports.com/kitesurf/kites