MotorSkins / startup from Berlin / Background
startup

MotorSkins

Stabilizing clothing for comfort and fall protection.
  • Textiles
  • Pre-Seed Stage
  • Platform
  • B2B2C
  • 2020
  • 1-10 Employees
  • Found
  • Berlin, DE
  • motorskins.com
  • Motorskins UG
  • Berlin

About the company

MotorSkins is a Berlin-based interdisciplinary company specialized in developing textiles with embedded fluidics. We develop simple and novel solutions for everyday life and a technological platform operating at the crossroads of well-being, sport and medical devices.

We foster innovation through a curiosity-driven and material-based exploration process in shape-changing textiles for Human-machine interaction.

MotorSkins aims to be an innovation lab for soft-robotics. We are convinced that soft-robots can improve people's quality of life through better Human-Machine interaction. In this regard, we see textile soft-robotics as a means of achieving simple, elegant and affordable solutions for democratizing the technology.

We are a laboratory on the lookout for experiments beyond our limits.

About the Product

We develop what we call hydrodynamic apparel: garments that embed closed hydraulic circuits to assist and support lower-limb movement. The devices are only powered by body movement: they harvest potential energy and use each step to power the next one.

Almost 50% of workers work while standing. With our self-powered wearable devices for lower limbs, we help workers combat the negative health effects of standing for long periods of time. We are a light and cost-effective solution to reduce physical and mental pain, which in turn leads to increased productivity for employers. Other possible applications of the product include sports, well-being and medtech.

The core team has complementary expertise:

Facundo Gutierrez is an industrial designer with experience in medical devices and design process, which goes from research and conceptualization to prototyping and technical details for production. He also has extensive expertise in 3D modelling and manufacturing processes, particularly in medical devices. He has a Master’s degree in open design at the Cluster of Excellence Bild Wissen Gestaltung (BWG) from the University of Buenos Aires (UBA) and Humboldt Universität zu Berlin (HU). He is responsible for design, prototyping, strategy and communication.

Dr. José Villatoro holds a doctorate in physical chemistry from the University of Potsdam and a Master’s degree in chemical engineering and materials science from the National Graduate School of Engineering Chemistry of Lille, in France. His academic work focused on the design, construction and optimization of laboratory setups and scientific instruments, as well as troubleshooting and design of scientific experiments, including the gathering and processing of data. He is responsible for materials, process optimization, IP & certification, health & safety and partnerships.

Juan Opitz-Silva has a bachelor's degree in business administration and a Master’s in open innovation at the BWG, from HU and the UBA, as well as experience in product and market development, go-to-market, innovation and creative strategies. He worked as a business developer, country & marketing manager and product owner in different industries and countries, specifically in construction and the automobile industry. He focuses on transforming innovation into a business model. He is responsible for finance & accounting, legal, payroll, sales & marketing, strategy and partnerships.

Nils Janßen has a degree in biology from HU and has completed his final year as a Master’s student in biophysics. He is a maker and expert in soft-robotics. He helps further the development of the technology and the prototyping process, as well as implementing new ideas and solutions to problems.

Juan and Facundo met during their studies in Argentina as a part of their Masters between the UBA and Humboldt University., MotorSkins was born from Facundo's master thesis and Juan's vision, in the context of the cluster of excellence BWG. They then met José through their network, after pitching at Falling Walls Berlin, and while looking for the technical part to the team. Nils was also related to the cluster BWG and was an immediate fit. The team is multidisciplinary and complementary, but more importantly bound together by their passion of soft-robotics and bioinspiration, which makes them resilient and determined.

Management

Juan Camilo Riveros Geschäftsführer
since 2020
Facundo Guiterrez Geschäftsführer
since 2020

News about MotorSkins

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