By Sander Arts — June 23, 2016
In a city known for its crown jewels (Tournament of Roses Parade, the “Granddaddy of them all” Rose Bowl Football Game, Caltech, ACCD, to name a few), Supplyframe is excited to add yet another jewel to that crown. The Supplyframe Design Lab opens this week and is poised to inspire the future of electronics (hardware).
Located in the heart of Pasadena, Supplyframe’s new Design Lab is the physical representation of one of world’s largest online engineering communities. Over 6 million people use the company’s electronic component discovery, supply chain management and project collaboration platforms.
The mission of the Design Lab is twofold: to bring together inventors and entrepreneurs and to explore the future of how hardware projects are designed, built and brought to market. The 5,000 sf research and development studio is packed with professional-grade tools to facilitate collaboration in product design, manufacturing, art and technology.
The Supplyframe Design Lab is a perfect location for hardware innovation, entrepreneurial thinking, tinkering, education and thought leadership. Supplyframe CEO & Founder Steve Flagg said, “Over the next ten years, some of the most exciting developments in technology will be connecting the digital to the physical in new and creative ways. We built the Design Lab to explore that rapidly evolving intersection and to inspire inventors and entrepreneurs to bring truly innovative hardware to market.”
So, why is this Dutch guy (I hail from the ‘Oss’ in The Netherlands), waxing on about Pasadena? My story starts like this: I was born and raised in the neighborhood of Eindhoven, I got exposed to engineers (Technical University Eindhoven) and creative people with extensive design thinking at Design Academy Eindhoven, and Philips Design.
I have seen many great innovations come from the crossroad between creativity and engineering. That’s precisely what I am observing in Pasadena as well. Pasadena has the right mix of 'right brain' and 'left brain.’ Simply put, I cannot wait to see what people will create in the new Supplyframe Design Lab when these disciplines come together!
In the coming month Supplyframe’s Design Lab's Resident Engineer Dan Hienzsch will welcome residents for three month funded residencies. The Design Lab seeks product design or prototype project proposals from the worldwide community of engineers, hardware startups, designers and builders for its first round of residencies beginning July 1, 2016.
Residencies fall into one of two tracks. Designers in the product track will be supported in mentorship and sponsorship to build physical products in VR, assistive technology, wearable computing, home automation, artificial intelligence, medical devices etc.
Artists in the art-tech track will receive mentorship and funding to build ambitious projects, electronic objects and interfaces, holography and interactive installations.
Brainstorming and collaboration among residents will be encouraged. Design residents and members of the local design & tech community will also have opportunities to meet and share ideas with remarkable designers and engineers during workshops, meetups and tech talks.
As for myself, I will be in the Lab a lot. I simply cannot wait to meet this diverse group of people that will create 'the next big thing'. I promise to keep you all posted on the progress!
To learn more, visit http://supplyframe.com/designlab