Supplyframe Launches Pasadena Design Lab to Support, Inspire the Future of Electronics Hardware Creation

Supplyframe, an industry network for electronics hardware design and manufacturing, on Thursday announced the launch of the Supplyframe Design Lab in Pasadena.

The Design Lab’s mission is to bring together inventors and entrepreneurs, to explore the future of how hardware projects are designed, built and brought to market.

The Design Lab is Supplyframe’s physical representation of one of world’s largest online engineering communities, with over 6 million people using the company’s electronic component discovery, supply chain management and project collaboration platforms.

With a 4,900-square-foot research and development studio packed with professional-grade tools to facilitate collaboration in product design, manufacturing, art and technology, the Supplyframe Design Lab represents a unique location for hardware innovation, entrepreneurial thinking, tinkering, education and thought leadership.

While current trends in creative workplace design focus on spaces that are light, airy and warm, the Design Lab is stark, industrial and elegant to encourage the raw energy and passion needed to create something new.

American product designer, brand strategist and educator Cory Grosser says, “The lab is not a warm-loft concept, but a design inspired by caffeine fueled all-nighters, late night coding sessions and underground skunkworks. It’s a place designed for radical innovation.”

An open house launch party takes place today (June 23) at the Supplyframe Design Lab, 30 East Del Mar Blvd. in Pasadena.

“Over the next ten years, some of the most exciting developments in technology will be about connecting the digital to the physical in new and creative ways” said Steve Flagg, CEO and Founder of Supplyframe. “We built the Design Lab to explore that rapidly evolving intersection and to inspire inventors and entrepreneurs to bring truly innovative hardware to market.”

In the coming period, Supplyframe’s Design Lab’s Resident Engineer Dan Hienzsch, will welcome residents for 3-month-long 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, which begin July 1st, 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.

Dan Hienzsch, Design Lab’s Resident Engineer, and other mentors, including Hackaday’s Sophi Kravitz, will advise Design Lab residents as they work toward making their proposals a reality. Brainstorming and collaboration among residents is 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.

To learn more, visit http://supplyframe.com/designlab

About Supplyframe: Supplyframe is the Industry Network for electronics design and manufacturing. We provide open and connected access to the world’s largest collection of vertical search engines, supply chain tools and online communities. At the foundation is a powerful dataset that allows us to draw critical insights to optimize the Supplyframe experience. The result? Networked innovation with unmatched speed and efficiency that is powering the creation of the next big thing. Its industry leading brands include: Parts.io, Findchips, OEMsTrade, Hackaday.com, Tindie, Hackaday.io, EEFocus, QuoteFX, Polydyne, SupplyFX.

Cory Grosser + Associates is a globally successful, boutique design studio based in Pasadena. Led by American designer Cory Grosser, the studio specializes in leveraging beautiful design to create emotional connections between clients and their customers. This approach is called “Creative Intelligence” whereby design is the force behind creative strategies for business and engaging narratives for people. The studio’s work lies at the intersection of commerce and culture and includes; architectural design, furniture design, brand strategy, and creative direction. Although small and highly focused, the studio has helped some of the worlds largest and most prestigious brands use design to succeed in the modern global marketplace. Selected clients include: Bentley, Bernhardt Design, Disney, Ford, Hyundai, Samsonite, Steelcase, Supplyframe and Universal Studios.