Václav Laurin (27 September 1865 – 3 December 1930) was a Czech engineer, industrialist and automotive pioneer. He, along with Václav Klement, founded automobile manufacturer Laurin & Klement that later became Škoda Auto, the largest Czech company.
Biography
Laurin was born on 27 September 1865[1] in Kamení, Bohemia, Austrian Empire (today part of Pěnčín, Czech Republic).[2] He apprenticed as a locksmith in Mladá Boleslav in 1883–1886. In 1893, he studied the design and basics of steam engines in Dresden. In 1894, he married Emilie Marie Beranová. In 1895, he met Václav Klement in Mladá Boleslav. They became friends and in September of the same year they established the company Laurin & Klement in Mladá Boleslav.