This Brussels-based startup promises to develop smart “tech” products.

The dialogue between civil engineers and designers will never be simple… Cédric de Bellefroy confirms this. This young man in his thirties, co-founder and CEO of the Brussels startup Futurewave, knows what he’s talking about: he’s an electronics and information technology engineer. “Whenever we try to put engineers and designers in the same room, they say they don’t understand each other.”he assures.

Perhaps very tempted by the challenge of combining two seemingly incompatible profiles, Cédric de Bellefroy took the risk of creating a startup in which engineers and designers work hand in hand. Collective rate. During his first professional experience at Nokia in Antwerp, he met Guillaume de Vostraets, an electronics engineer who, like him, had graduated from the University of California at Louvain. To create a profile of the designer, Cédric de Bellefroy turned to his childhood friend Joachim Froment. Passed by Royal College of Art from London, he has already gained a lot of experience (in addition to this, he has several design awards).

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The trio founded Futurewave in the spring of 2020 (in the midst of the first wave of Covid!). “Our goal was to support companies from the idea stage to the production of a technology product on a specification-based basis.”, summarizes Cédric de Bellefroy. Over the past year, Futurewave has added a more strategic component to its service offering: “Before projects, we also help our clients think about the meaning they want to give to innovation.”

Smart objects and experiences

Since its inception, Futurewave has grown tremendously. There are currently twenty Future comrades (engineers, industrial designers, business consultants, etc.).”We would like to increase this to 30 people by the end of this year.” In a sign of the agency’s growth, it is preparing to leave Zaventem Ateliers, the creative hub designed by designer and architect Lionel Jadot, and move to Ixelles, where Futurewave is completing development of an 850m² innovation space.

Futurewave’s specialty lies in its fusion of expertise and ability to integrate strategy, industrial design and technology R&D, with agencies typically concentrating their efforts on one component of the triptych. The three founders also defined “verticals,” or preferred topics and sectors. This ranges from “intelligent objects” (in relation to mobility, connected home, health, etc.) to “intelligent experiences” (Futurewave was entrusted, for example, with the design of the German pavilion at the 2025 World Expo in Osaka). through “quality control” of production lines (which requires the development of innovative electronic devices and software). There is also a desire to develop products that have a positive impact on society and the environment.

Large companies, SMEs, start-ups

Futurewave, which financed its development entirely from its own funds, already has about fifty projects under its belt. Among them are Yoda (electric moped), Cowboy (electric bicycle), Sony (sound sensor), Kando (voice assistant), Decathlon, Etex, Alstom (future train), O’BOY (connected watch), Ionic (connected frames) ), OBH (micromobile headset), Umbrosa (smart umbrella), etc. Interventions can take different forms. In many cases, Futurewave defines the strategy, develops the circuit boards and firmware, develops the design, and develops the first prototype ready for production. “In the future, we would also like to develop our own technology products.”emphasizes Cédric de Belfroy.

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The startup, which had a turnover of 1.7 million euros in 2023 and a planned turnover of 2.5 million euros this year, has begun to expand internationally. The goal is to open an office in Lille or Paris in 2025.”Our goal is to make Futurewave a strong brand of technology innovation.”– concludes the young CEO.