Innovation Studio : Kindred Design

Kindred Design is a Dorset startup company developing semi-tailored modular office furniture, with an emphasis on sustainable manufacturing. Grant Campbell, founder and MD of Kindred has been working with AUB Innovation since 2018, receiving an Access Voucher to prototype the Kindred office desk on our CNC router. In 2019, Kindred was awarded an AUB-ERDF innovation grant to support the next stage of its R&D process – developing modular accessories to the Kindred desk.

The inspiration for Kindred came about through a conversation with the IKEA design department who recognised that one of their biggest sustainability challenges as a company lies in their manufacturing process. As a global product brand, IKEA employs scale-intensive manufacturing practices to lower the cost of their products and as a result, the global burden on production, transport and product disposability remains high.

Kindred Design was born out of a need to address these sustainability challenges; namely to develop and test a range of long-lasting flat-packed modular furniture pieces, made-to-order through localised manufacturing routes.

Kindred are currently in the R&D pre-market stage of development but have exhibited at Venturefest South in 2019.

Their co-working building, Kindred Labs, offers space for startups and small businesses in Southbourne, Dorset and will test the first delivery of furniture in 2020.

This project is supported through match-funding by the England European Regional Development Funds Growth Programme 2014-2020. This fund was established by the European Union to help local areas stimulate their economic development. This investment will help to support innovation, businesses, skills and employment to improve local growth and create jobs. For more information visit www.gov.uk/european-growth-funding.