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Waarborg is proud to house successful entrepreneurs. The experts of today and the pioneers of tomorrow. Always with a strong mission and a special story. Discover who they are, what they do and what they mean to the world around them.
The Waarborg team is proud of the residents we house. Discover their special stories here.
Ketelaar Kroon / Oslo
Protium / Quintus House
Seven Stars / Mediacentrale
Fluctus and Brightbird / Zernikelaan 6
Bioclear Earth / Rozenburglaan 13
Cyclone / Energieweg 12
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'We are convinced that you should always look for the wow factor.'
read the whole story
Read the whole story

The pleasure of creating together

Product development. Where to start? Of course, basically with a good idea. What exactly do you want to make? For whom? And what should the user be able to do with it? But also at least as important: what should it look like? Simple questions at first glance perhaps? But bringing together all those pillars – function, ergonomics and design – requires great expertise.

At Zernikelaan 6, in the heart of Zernike Science Park, you will find that knowledge in abundance. Not one but two companies, both driven by a small army of bright minds and bound by a special collaboration: Fluctus and Brightbird.

The directors, Gertjan Drent for Fluctus and Bart Kip for Brightbird, have known each other since their Industrial Design studies in Delft. At the beginning of their careers, they ran into each other at Philips and worked for years on the development of consumer products. And now, in 2019, in addition to being tenants in the same building, they are once again partners in crime.

Product design

With Fluctus, Drent is mainly responsible for the technical side of the design process: “Clients can come to us for all phases of project development: from an initial idea to the run-up to the first production batch. We start each assignment by looking at the idea with a fresh perspective. What exactly should it be? What functionalities are needed for that? And how can we ensure that it is different from what already exists on the market?”

“And that is where we often step in,” Kip agrees with his neighbor. “At Brightbird we specialize in distinctive products and product experiences. We are convinced that you should always look for the wow factor. You want consumers to see the product and think 'hey wow, what is this? I want that!' And only then: 'what does it actually do?' So as a company you really put something on top of it, exciting design we call that at Brightbird. But,” Kip emphasizes, “that appearance must go hand in hand with ease of use: only when there is a perfect balance between functionality and design do you have a top product.”

1+1=3

Finding that balance is the core of Kip and Drent's collaboration. They both have their own assignments and clients, but always turn to each other when an assignment requires it. "The fact that we are in exactly the same location is very convenient," according to Kip. "If we at Brightbird have doubts about the aesthetics of a technical change, I can just drop by Gertjan's to discuss in 5 minutes whether the balance between the various pillars is being maintained." The same applies the other way around. Drent: "Sometimes a design is particularly attractive, but therefore also too small for the technology that simply has to be included. Then we put our heads together until we are both satisfied."

The two often meet each other and clients in their shared office, which they have single-handedly transformed into an inspiring, practical space. The quote the pleasure of creating together, the vision of both men. The space feels airy, dynamic and according to Kip has a surprise in store. What turns out? The gentlemen provided the sparring room with the ultimate gadget with a wow effect: one of the walls turns out to be a full coverage whiteboard. If that doesn't produce out-of-the-box brainstorming sessions!

Beautiful products

A great example of a product in which the strengths of Fluctus and Brightbird came together is the 'Equestic'; an ingenious equestrian clip for top-level equestrian sports. With the Equestic, riders can monitor the stability of their horse in style. Brightbird designed the model and the brand experience, while Fluctus focused on the practical implementation of the technology. The result is a beautiful clip that is not only rapidly conquering the equestrian market as an innovative product, but also radiates the luxury that suits equestrian sports.

The Equestic also stands out internationally: during the prestigious International Design Awards in Los Angeles, the rider clip recently won an award. And not just any award: the Equestic was awarded a gold award in the category Outdoor and Exercise Equipment. “Together with the unboxing videos of the Equestic on YouTube, this award is an extra confirmation for us that we have achieved a wow effect again.” The Equestic has clearly become a gadget that also exceeds expectations in use!

Augmented reality

Sustainability also plays an important role in the entire process. For example, by designing products that last a long time and by closely following the development of bio-plastics. At Fluctus, they also work a lot with 3D printers and hyper-realistic CAD computer models in the concept phase: "this way, the customer can see very well what the product will look like and how it will work."

But, it can be even more modern: the latest of the latest is product presentation in augmented reality. “Yes, that is really special technology,” Kip says enthusiastically. “For example, we recently realized a modular laboratory system in AR for a client. If we had built the entire system as a prototype, that would have been a waste of material and transportation costs. Instead of a real system, we projected the entire system in AR in space. The client could view all the modules in 360 with a special tablet, exactly as the end product should be. As if you were standing with one foot in the future, they almost didn't believe it.”

Surrounded by smart people

With their strength in engineering and design, both companies now fit perfectly with their location. Drent: “We consciously choose not to be on an industrial estate, but right here in the middle of all the progress and young talent. When asked whether there is room for a third 3D printer, for example, the gentlemen respond laughingly: “that might be a bit tight. Perhaps it will be necessary in due course to sit down with Waarborg to move within the existing Waarborg portfolio. But for now, we are both in our place here!”

Photos by Mary Jane Photography


Gertjan Drent & Bart Kip / Fluctus and Brightbird
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