Ventures,
Shaping concepts into companies is what we love to do. We've never been good at waiting for the call or the brief, so we chose the path of the design entrepreneur.
This is a summary of the ventures we've created so far.
CUARTOPLANO is a real estate development company focused in creating high quality urban environments.
The firm's first project, Parque BarroBlanco, is a mixed-used neighborhood in Rionegro, one of Colombia's fastest growing cities. The 90,000 square meter development has been designed from the urbanism to the landscaping as one large, open park with more than 770 housing units, 3,600 square meters of office space, and 9,200 square meters of commercial real estate.
Status: Active (2014–)
Sector: Real Estate
Links: cuartoplano.com | @4toplano
café retiro is devoted to crafting specialty coffees with the identity, character and flavours of El Retiro, Colombia.
Founded in 2009 as an independent co-op, this small company represents a new model for associated labour and regional brands, focused on customers who value the quality of an artisanal process from seed to roast. Besides roasted coffees, café retiro offers tourism, catering services & a complete gifts portfolio, all related to local coffee culture. A boutique brand with local roots and international reach.
Status: Active (2009–)
Sector: Food, Social
Partners: Asociación de caficultores de El Retiro
Links: caferetiro.com | @caferetiro
Napkin creates beautiful books about technology's most relevant subjects — visual books that spark both the interest and the imagination of the general public.
We explain the principles of software and the internet to people of all ages and backgrounds in a simple & unpretentious way, one napkin sketch at a time. Our first book, "Bitcoin on a napkin", was lauched to great success through Kickstarter, with more than 330 worldwide backers funding it over 200% of it's original goal. Two new Napkin titles are on the pipeline for 2020.
Status: Active (2017–)
Sector: Publishing, Education
Partners: Federico Builes
Links: napkinbooks.com | Kickstarter campaign | @NapkinBooks
TUATU is a digital media brand focused on fashion, style & well-being, backed by celebrity journalist & TV-host Juan Carlos Giraldo.
By combining Juan Carlos' knowledge and credibility with first rate design, technology and analytics, TUATU partners with brands to create multimedia content of superior performance. Our platform comprises five channels among web, social, video and email, reaching monthly more than 1,500,000 people, 90% of them women in Colombia.
Status: Active (2017–)
Sector: Publishing, Media
Partners: Juan Carlos Giraldo
Links: tuatu.co | YouTube channel | @2a2co
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We have developed a range of products to create legible, beautiful public environments. Based on our original research, these products work as a versatile system for architects, designers, developers & contractors.
Status: Active (2012–)
Sector: Product
Partners: Konkretus | Adoquin-Ar
Links: Buy Tepyl online
JGiraldoReporta
A media franchise based on the personal brand of Juan Carlos Giraldo. Pivoted to become TUATU.
Sector: Publishing, Media | Partners: Juan Carlos Giraldo
Webstripe
A tool to create and publish stories on the internet: image, text, video and embedded content, woven together. Became the basis for JGiraldoReporta & a key part of café retiro.
Sector: Publishing | Partners: Federico Builes | Link: webstripe.herokuapp.com
makeitpersonal
A place where anyone can highlight, annotate and share their favorite lyrics. Open source project led by our friend Federico Builes.
Sector: Music, Community | Partners: Federico Builes | Link: makeitpersonal.co
Hule
An on–demand concierge service, before Rappi existed. Assumed design leadership and developed up to working beta, company ran out of funding.
Sector: Logistics | Founders: Manuel Vélez, Federico Builes | Link: —
CoffeeGrid
Medellin's first tech meetup. Ran between 2012–2014.
Sector: Community | Co-Founders: Manuel Zapata, Juan Pablo Gaviria, Jorge Cardona, Sebastian Castillo | Link: coffeegrid.org
Postervention
An experiment with content customization and the drop-shipping business model. Killed at prototype stage.
Sector: Commerce, Consumer | Partner: Carlos Ángel | Link: —
Catalejo
An R&D joint-venture with EAFIT University and María Velásquez, Catalejo was a 6-month studio program aimed at creating new products and services for the public realm. Pilot project ran succesfully in 2013.
Sector: Education | Partners: EAFIT, María Velásquez | Link: —