From one parking lot to five countries.
VanKulture was established in 2012 in the San Francisco Bay Area. It has never been a company first. It has always been the people who kept showing up.
01/ Origins
Built from
culture.
It started in the San Francisco Bay Area in 2012. No business plan, no launch — just people who took the same care over a van that the import scene took over a coupe.
The name travelled further than the vehicles did. Chapters opened where members already lived, and each one grew the way the first one had: locally, in person, one meet at a time. Twelve years on that reaches five countries.
- Established
- 2012 — San Francisco Bay Area, California. The founding base.
- Reach
- Five countries with active chapters. Not forty-two. Five.
- Home Base
- VK Garage, San Mateo — where the builds are executed.
02/ The Founder
Paul Cotaco
Founder, VANkulture
Becoming a parent doesn’t mean giving up your passion for cars.
Paul Cotaco is a lifelong automotive enthusiast and the founder of VANkulture, a global community and brand that transformed the way people view family vans and minivans.
What began in 2012 as a passion project among eight van enthusiasts quickly grew into a worldwide movement. After modifying his own family minivan, Paul discovered a growing community of parents and automotive enthusiasts who wanted to combine their love for cars with family life. A group wheel purchase with Vossen Wheels led to a viral feature that helped put modified vans on the global automotive map.
Since then, Paul and VANkulture have collaborated with major brands including Toyota USA, Chrysler and Wells Fargo, while participating in major automotive events such as SEMA, the LA Auto Show, Chicago Auto Show and New York Auto Show.
Today, VANkulture represents a global community of family-focused car enthusiasts, proving that becoming a parent doesn’t mean giving up your passion for cars.
03/ The Journey
How it
travelled.
Only dates confirmed in the brief are listed. Canada and Japan are active chapters without a founding year on record.
-
2012
United States
The founding base established in 2012 in the San Francisco Bay Area.
-
2014
Philippines
Long-standing chapter active since 2014.
-
c. 2016
Indonesia
Official Jakarta-based chapter established around 2016.
-
Ongoing
Canada & Japan
Regular meets in Ontario and British Columbia. In Japan, a major community engaging in local builds and international gatherings.
-
Today
Five countries
One culture, five chapters, and a garage in San Mateo where the builds still get done by hand.