“My dad worked at Dayton Reliable Tool,” Scott said. “The pop tab was invented in Dayton and my dad used to manufacture the punches for those.”
After graduating high school in 2014, Scott, who had a passion for aerospace, went to Ohio University, where he ended up studying engineering. Diagnosed with Krohn’s disease, he knew he wouldn’t qualify for pilot school.
“I got hooked on the challenge of engineering in the building and manufacturing sector,” Scott said.
After he graduated from Ohio University with a degree in mechanical engineering, he returned to Dayton. He had been exposed to working on composite materials after being involved with the competitive rocket team in college.
He got hired as a project manager with a Composite Advantage, part of the Creative Composites Group in Dayton.
“I learned about fiberglass and advanced materials,” Scott said. “In engineering school it’s mostly working with wood, steel and concrete so I was gaining a unique perspective.”
Scott also learned about entrepreneurship from his managers, who started the company. He dreamed about developing a unique product and starting his own company.
Like most Daytonians, Scott drove along Interstate 75 frequently, navigating the infamous concrete barriers that seem to maintain a constant presence along the highway.
“I began to wonder if I could build those barriers out of fiberglass,” Scott said. “I thought, after driving through miles of concrete barriers, each weighing around 8,000 pounds, I could design something just as effective but easier to move and ship.”
Scott knew that concrete is brittle and road salt is a known corrosive to the material. The composite materials he used in his day job were not corrosive and only about one tenth the weight of concrete. Even better, the material has the same strength as steel.
“I wanted to see if I could make something better, lighter and safer for workers and drivers,” Scott said.
He started working on developing a new product in the evenings, putting in many hours every night for four years. He admits he knew little about traffic barriers or the approval process.
“I spent a lot of time on testing and determining what would work,” Scott said. “I also found out that there are no other systems in the world like this made out of fiberglass.”
Though fiberglass materials have been around for more than 50 years, it turns out most engineers haven’t studied it and were unsure about using “plastic” for structural items like bridges and barriers.
“They didn’t grasp the benefits of the product,” Scott said. “They just assumed that a material made from a polymer wouldn’t be strong enough to stop a vehicle.”
Scott didn’t share his ideas with anyone, using free software packages online to help him draw his invention and perform simulations. Eventually he had an engineering packet and found a simulation company to run more advanced tests. He had met an investor – David Pidwell - during his time at OU. Pidwell who now lives in Silicon Valley in California.
Scott needed $30,000 to pay the simulation company and Pidwell offered to make the investment.
Pidwell also helped Scott – who started his company Asynt Solutions when he was just 25 years old - find investors so he could manufacture his first prototype barriers.
“My mom and dad came to the crash test to watch it,” Scott said. “It was pretty cool to have them there and see how successful it was. The first tipping point was when we anchored the barrier to an asphalt pad and crashed a truck into it. It barely moved.”
Scott filed a patent for his Ape Barriers while he was still in Dayton. He live-streamed the crash tests in order to interest more investors. Then he quit his day job in order to focus on building his new company.
Today, Scott’s Ape Barrier, originally designed in Dayton, was officially patented in June of 2025 and 27 departments of transportation nationwide have approved them for use. Four states are currently using them on highways.
“In 2025, there wasn’t a day of the year that our barriers weren’t deployed on a highway somewhere,” Scott said. “This is huge for protecting road crews.”
Because these innovative barriers are made of 100% fiberglass, they don’t deteriorate or crumble. They don’t leave debris on the highway and they absorb more energy. Scott is currently hoping to increase the company’s market share so they can continue growing their production. Currently there are not yet any Ape Barriers on highways in Ohio.
“We are spending a lot of time educating people that the cheapest option isn’t always the best,” Scott said. “The Ape Barrier meets the new crash test specifications, and the traditional concrete barriers do not. Soon everyone will need to convert to a different material to help increase safety along the highways.”
For more information, log on to asyntsolutions.com.
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