Startups face the challenge of establishing a compelling market presence after their initial funding round while also managing the demands of their core business. Competent design support can help avoid typical mistakes and reduce stress. Three examples from our practice illustrate how an early design strategy can support startups in their initial market entry.
When designing pacifiers for optimal user satisfaction, it is essential to balance cuteness, ergonomics, and manufacturing technology. However, achieving this can be challenging as babies and parents have vastly different needs and expectations.
Designing for startups always poses a unique challenge, characterized by speed and a high degree of creative freedom. As an industrial design service provider, we took on the challenge of designing for NematX, a Swiss startup and spin-off of the prestigious Swiss Federal Institute of Technology ETH. Our team successfully managed the entire design project, from the initial concept to the launch of the NEX-01 industrial 3D printing platform at FORMNEXT 2022 in Frankfurt, within a tight timeframe of less than 6 months.
In the world of audio equipment, design is often limited to the front of the device. This is different with the high-end audio tube amplifiers FOND designed for the Swiss manufacturer Zeiler Audio. Here, all elements from the controls to the smallest functional details inside the enclosure have also been formally defined. In addition to typical Swiss design maxims such as objectivity and formal timelessness, we consequently designed for manufacturing to achieve an aesthetic and consistent design.