We cannot give a specific answer to this open question. After all, is it just software or does electronics have to be developed? And if so, does there be anything mechanical involved? What is the complexity? Does extensive research still need to be done?

Because such characteristics are very decisive for pricing, a telephone intake or video consultation is an ideal way to start. With simple issues, we can sometimes immediately check which order of magnitude you should think of as a client. If that is not possible, we offer a (paid) Design Session as the first next step.

For example, we carry out prototyping assignments from €1,000 to around €50K. Want to know what your idea will cost in an approximate functionally working prototype: Let’s talk

Our clients range from freelancers who have a product or service idea, innovative Startups and SMEs who ask us to turn their ideas into a promising prototype and Corporates with e.g. innovation managers who want to give hands and feet to their (radical) innovations.

In addition, we work for and with (technical) education and also (regional) government. In other words, small and larger organisations, the market sector and non-profit.

What makes us relatively unique is that we have not opted for an industry specialization, but a process specialization. We focus exclusively on Ideation, Specification and Prototyping and we do this for almost all industries and many different types of organizations.

We have 3 Unique Selling Points:

1. We specialize in developing functionally working prototypes that can consist of mechanics, electronics and software
2. Because we have the 3 different disciplines in-house for an innovative product and/or service, we offer a one stop shop concept: 1 party, one appeal point and we realize all three parts
3. We involve a client intensively in the execution of the assignment by applying co-creation forms of work; only then will a development budget be used effectively for innovation

The very short answer is no.

The longer answer has nuance. For a number of Starthubs (Starthub Wageningen and Utrecht.Inc) we play an expert role. Startups that are included in one of those two get free consultancy from us in a premature stage of their ideas (we only ask for publicity in return). We sometimes finance a tiny bit of this, especially since one of our partners sometimes participates.

Furthermore, we feel a special commitment to certain socially relevant projects, e.g. in the field of the environment. For this we sometimes – exceptionally – use attractive conditions to carry out prototyping work. The criteria for this are informal and are determined by Manfred van der Voort personally. For technical education, we use a reduced rate to contribute to technology for the future. Finally, we get quite a lot of requests, in which we sometimes act as a referral to parties in our network.

In short, we are certainly not a financing institution for innovations, but are helpful to where possible among other things to small-scale initiatives for a better world, without an invoice being sent directly.

We develop software for Embedded applications, Cloud/Web applications, mobile apps and AI applications. The programming languages we apply the most are:

• micropython
• Python
• JavaScript / NodeJS

We apply a lot of (commercial) Open Source software, with the underlying idea that especially in the Prototyping phase the available budget are used effectively and is not unnecessarily used for (long-term) software licenses of the more closed tehnology players.

We mainly work for Dutch clients, but sometimes also for foreign clients. Think of Belgium, Germany, England and the USA.

We always leave the possible IP of inventions to our clients. We’re not interested in that either.

Our business model is very simple: we want to see our hours and used resources for developing a functional prototype honoured. Nothing more and nothing less.

In order to establish this legally, a (sometimes mutual) NDA is concluded in many assignments and we establish the ownership of IP in the contract of assignment. This has not only become a matter of trust, but has also secured it with (sometimes) firm penalty clauses if we do not comply.

Yes, we can do that to a limited extent. We started as of May 2021 to implement and offer an AI-based search service. That is currently being tested. Because of this search engine technology and our use, we can do it for a limited fee of €875,- ex. VAT, conduct a light form of patent research. Do you want to know more about this? Let’s talk

We also have a partner who can do this traditionally, cost-effectively and with limited depth. This partner then has a good relationship with an agency specializing in Patents, Trademarks and Design Registrations (VO). In this way, we help answer this specialist question by also enabling our network. The cost of answering this question thoroughly can be up to thousands of euros when the agency is called in!

The simple answer is: no, definitely not. Of course, as it is a Unique Selling Point of ours to offer a one stop concept, it does not mean that every assignment also has to consist of parts for mechanics, electronics and software.

Of course, we also carry out prototyping assignments in one of the 3 sub-areas, where software development alone is the largest part of our activities. Then comes electronics and then mechanics.

For us, prototyping is for us in a general sense to materialize an idea, invention, innovation or business desire for innovation of products, services or processes in the field of technology.

The essence is to turn what is entrusted to paper, is on the whiteboard or has been wandering around in the head for some time to turn into something that ‘does it’ but doesn’t have to be perfect yet.

In other words, our effort should result in what we call functional, works with frayed edges and unevenness, but that shows in practice what the uniqueness of innovation is.

Incidentally, we have written a Whitepaper about what we call The Art of Prototyping. Feel free to request it.

Expressed in “bullets” by field, we know the following specialties:

Mechanics

• Limited complexity
• Digital design and development
• Collaboration with Fluctus for complex projects

Electronics

• Average complexity
• IoT and sensory applications
• RF approved modules for LoRaWAN
• Reinforced with custom electronics

Software

• Embedded
• Apps
• Web
• ML/AI
• IoT platform specialist with end2end app solution

Yes. Our method is a combination of a linear waterfall process, as described in Prototyping. In addition, we strongly believe in co-makership as a form of cooperation with clients for innovation development with many uncertainties. And finally, our method of designing and building is best described as Axiomatic design. There is an informative entryabout this on Wikipedia.

Incidentally, we have written a Whitepaper about what we call The Art of Prototyping. Feel free to request it.

We see it a little differently. Compared to other (larger) engineering firms, product development studios, design houses, etc we are not so much cheaper, but for the same budget you can make a pivot 1 or 2 times more often with us.

This means that where you use your entire innovation budget at another party’s time, you can significantly increase your chances of success for market introduction. After all, we all know that developing a new product or service almost always leads to a major revision of plans and thus a prototype.

So we are not so much cheaper, but able to increase your chances of success!

No, it means a lot more to us.

For us, prototyping is for us in a general sense to materialize an idea, invention, innovation or business desire for innovation of products, services or processes in the field of technology.

The essence is to turn what is entrusted to paper, is on the whiteboard or has been wandering around in the head for some time to turn into something that ‘does it’ but doesn’t have to be perfect yet.

In other words, our effort should result in what we call functional, works with frayed edges and unevenness, but that shows in practice what the uniqueness of innovation is.

This depends very much on the size, complexity, desired and necessary cooperation, delivery time of (electronic) components and the ability of employees.

Lead times for small assignments (up to ~€7.5K) can be achieved in 4-8 weeks.

For larger assignments, 6 months is very common, but for e.g. we also participate in a European research project with a lead time of 3.5 years.

Feel free to submit your question to us and we can.b give an indication of our experience quite quickly in case of simple questions: Let’s talk

The innovation and development process consists of four parts or if you want phases: Ideation, Specification, Prototyping and Manufacturing (for hardware) or Implementation (for software / service)

When scaling up towards manufacturing for hardware, we are i.s.m. Cobotify, a service to develop for the manufacture of small series up to about 250 pieces.

For us, a definition of innovation is: “you don’t know what you don’t know“. That is why it is particularly difficult to determine a fixed price in advance to realize a project.

At the same time, of course, we know that clients must be able to steer on a given maximum budget for an innovative development. That is why, for e.g., we work with budgets per project phase, but this is sometimes defined according to the principle “functional result follows available budget”. So just like time boxes in project management, there is a lot of focus on limiting time and result.

In addition to fixed budgets, we also work with minus/max and post-calculation. Many clients experience a natural tendency for us to “over selling”, i.e. deliver more than agreed.