Open Funk

🗣️“As many people at MotionLab.Berlin say, we came for the machines, but stayed for the community. By community, we mean finding people with the technical know-how to make progress on your project, but also people with really funky vibes.” #madeatmotionlabberlin 📍Open Funk co-founders, Paul Anca and Ken Rostand, joined the MotionLab.Berlin workspace in July 2021, seeking access to machines and a place to create their prototypes. As they transitioned from idea to research and development to production, their workspace evolved from a flex desk to a tiny office and eventually to a maker garage. This flexibility allowed them to accommodate their growing 3D-printing farm, additional storage, and a new production line. Recent developments have seen Open Funk go from shipping zero units to 200 units per month, expanding their team from 3 to 10 employees, most of whom were recruited from the MotionLab.Berlin community. It has been a pleasure to see Open Funk grow and expand here at MotionLab.Berlin. We can't wait to see what you do next 💙 🤔 Need a place to turn your ideas into reality? Reach out to the MotionLab.Berlin team or visit us by booking a free tour ➡️ https://lnkd.in/e8YXdrw6 #startup #berlin #hardtech #makerspace

🗣️“From electronic waste and huge CO2 emissions to poor working conditions and long supply chains, home appliances contribute to some of the world’s most serious environmental and human rights problems of our times. They break easily, inhibit repairs, and offer spare parts at exorbitant costs. We started Open Funk to provide an alternative.” 🌱Ken Rostand and Paul Anca are the co-founders of Berlin-based startup Open Funk, a company driven to create sustainable, aesthetically pleasing, and practical home appliances. They recently released their first product into the market: re:Mix, a repairable blender that works with standard glass jars. It is crafted at MotionLab.Berlin where, over the past 2.5 years, they have transformed their vision from concept to reality. Open Funk has embraced an open-source ethos by releasing design files, the bill of materials, and assembly instructions for re:Mix. This move is rooted in the belief that open-source empowers individuals to repair their devices, fosters transparency, and promotes repair-friendly design practices within the industry. Looking ahead, Paul and Ken envision growth on multiple fronts. On a product level, they plan to introduce new modules for re:Mix, extending its functionality to other kitchen tasks and exploring innovative approaches to other home appliances that support a circular economy. The community aspect is also crucial, as they aim to engage with the open-source community, encouraging collaboration and transformation. Geographically, they aspire to replicate their supply and manufacturing setup in makerspaces on other continents, creating a global network of sustainable, locally-produced electronics. 💙 Read the full article here ➡️ https://lnkd.in/drXrvj3J #opensource #hardtech #Berlin #startup #homeappliances #motionlabberlin #blender

Circular startups are doing amazing things in the fight against climate change (and often in unexpected ways). If you're looking for some positivity and inspiration in amongst the COP 28 information wave, read our latest article to learn how innovators are redesigning everything from kitchen mixers to cucumber coatings to reduce GHGs. ❗ Transitioning to renewable energy can only address 55% of global GHGs 💡 To address the remaining 45%, we need to harness circular innovation 👀 Got climate $$$ to invest? Look to circular solutions I'm so lucky to work with such brilliant people, and it was a real joy to collaborate with Emma Elobeid and Miranda Schnitger on this article. Special thanks to our contributing innovators and investors: Apeel, Open Funk, Rheaply, DeepForm, Winnow, Concular, Sway, Notpla, Selva Nevada, Closed Loop Partners