Before the First Cut: Building the Foundation for Tova
No steel has been cut. Not one weld laid. Not one bolt turned. And that’s exactly where we need to be right now.
We’re early — but we’re serious. And if you’re following along, you’re part of something from the beginning. This post is a look at where we are, what’s done so far, and what’s coming next.
🔤 Naming a Fire
We didn’t just want a name that sounded cool. We wanted something that held weight.
Tova comes from Finnish roots — a nod to sauna’s spiritual homeland — and suggests purification, warmth, and a kind of elemental honesty.
It’s short. It’s strong. It feels right.
And now it’s official: Tova Stove LLC is formed and filed in South Carolina.
⚖️ Getting the Legal Backbone in Place
We’ve taken the time to do this right:
Registered the LLC
Built an operating agreement
Started laying groundwork for IP protection
Drafted cooperation agreements with international partners
Created a proper NNN (non-disclosure, non-use, non-circumvention) for early design work
That may sound dry, but it’s what protects the soul of the business — the idea. The fire we’re building isn’t just physical. It’s structural.
🌐 The Digital Hearth Is Lit
We’ve launched our site at tovastove.com. It’s not fancy — but it’s real. And it’s where the story starts.
As we move forward, you’ll see product visuals, behind-the-scenes posts, and eventually… preorders.
🤝 Partners, Not Just Vendors
We’re working with a manufacturer in Shandong, China, one we’ve vetted carefully and are treating as a partner — not just a supplier.
There’s still negotiation ahead. Ownership of IP, exclusivity, and engineering scope are all part of the dance. But we’re holding the line where it matters.
⚙️ So… When’s the First Stove?
Soon.
Right now we’re finalizing concepts to prepare for prototyping. That means CAD files, combustion testing assumptions, safety planning, and design-for-manufacturing conversations.
We’re exploring options like:
110V power for automatic ignition
External controls that respect the heat zone
Clean burn architecture that makes pellets feel native, not hacked-in
Once we’re ready, the first steel will be cut.
And from there — fire.
🧭 If You’re Here, You’re Early
This stage isn’t flashy. It’s the legal, the naming, the contracts, the prep. It’s slow work but it’s the foundation of everything we’re building.
Thanks for watching from the ground up.
We’re not here to build a stove.
We’re here to build the next generation of fire.