Touching Base with Alejandro Gayubo, Mechanical Engineer at TG0
‘It’s impossible to be bored’: Meet Alejandro Gayubo, TG0’s newest mechanical engineer
Hi Alejandro! Where are you from?
My parents are from the north of Spain but my younger brother and I were raised in Madrid. I’m a city person so I loved growing up there – there’s lots of culture and museums to visit.
Did you have any career aspirations when you were a child?
I’m a really practical person and I’ve always been obsessed with technology, cars and anything that moves. But I’m also a people person. Even when I was a child, I knew I wanted to have a job where I could interact with people, rather than just be stuck behind a computer.
You spent some time in the US before going to university – how did that come about?
When I was 16, my family encouraged me to take a public speaking course in the US. I spent a month and a half at Georgetown University in Washington DC that summer, but I enjoyed it so much I returned the following two years in a row (visiting UCLA and a university in New York). It was a great experience. I really enjoyed debating, meeting new people, and exploring a new country. My favourite place was Washington DC. Everyone was so interesting and I enjoyed learning about the history of the city, and visiting the monuments and museums while I was there.
And then it was back to Spain to start university?
Yes, I studied industrial engineering at Universidad Pontificia Comillas, which is a Catholic university in Madrid. It’s ranked among the best universities in the world for engineering, and I did find the course very challenging. But I learned a lot, and they were very good at emphasising the importance of developing soft skills (such as communication), alongside technical abilities. I did a year in industry at a defence company, which developed military vehicles such as tanks. When I returned to university for my final year, I spent most of my time working on a project to restore and digitise a classic motorcycle. Tinkering with motorbikes has always been a passion of mine.
What did you decide to do with your degree?
I wanted to do a Master’s degree eventually but decided to get some professional experience first. I got a job with Evlox, which is a Spanish denim manufacturer in Madrid. I was a research and development engineer working between Madrid and Morocco where the company’s manufacturing facilities were. It was a really interesting place to work – I worked across new material development, investigated new dying techniques, and learned a lot about product development, market trends, and working directly with customers.
What brought you to the UK?
I was working with a small consumer product startup company, but decided that it was time to study for my Master’s degree in product design at the Royal College of Art (RCA). I wanted to move beyond the engineer’s view and technical understanding of how a product works, to take the customer’s experience into account. It even inspired me to develop my own startup, although we didn't quite make it to market.
What happened?
The idea was to develop a gearbox for electric vehicles that didn’t have gears but could simulate the sensation of driving. I wanted to focus on the motorbike market. Despite the push to adopt electric vehicles, a large chunk of motorbike riders won’t switch because they feel they’d lose the experience of driving with an engine. We thought we’d found a solution. In our research, we found 70% of riders would switch to an EV if we could implement this technology. Unfortunately we weren’t the only people chasing this idea. But we did electrify a 1950s motorcycle, while keeping all of its original aesthetic charm.
How did you hear about TG0?
I had been accepted onto the six-month Innovation RCA incubator programme to develop my startup, and Ming was one of the advisors that helped me develop a business plan and conduct the automotive market research. We had a few new conversations and once the project finished, I gave him a call. I love what he’s achieved at TG0 and he gave me the opportunity to come and work here as a mechanical engineer.
How’s it been going so far?
It’s a really interesting company and a fun place to be. We are working with a lot of different industries, and there are lots of opportunities to think outside of the box. I’ve been working across automotive, aerospace and general electronics so far, giving support to the team in the earliest steps of the process. It’s very creative, very varied, and I’m really enjoying it. It’s impossible to be bored.
Outside of work, what hobbies do you enjoy?
Aside from tinkering with motorbikes (which I don’t get the chance to do very much anymore), I love the cinema and visiting museums. My favourite in London is the Science Museum. I also enjoy just getting lost in London – it’s a great city and I like discovering the architecture and finding new spots to visit.
Tell us one thing your colleague’s wouldn’t know about you?
I love to cook and eating out at restaurants. I’m really open to all cuisines, but I love Asian seafood in particular.
