A love for tech and coffee often go hand-in-hand. How else could you stay up all night working on your latest project? Usually, the two don’t mix, but Fellow is a company blending these two passions together.

Based in San Francisco, Fellow is a startup that uses 3D printing to create coffee brewers. Yet, it’s not the final products that are 3D printed, it’s the hundreds of prototypes.

The man behind the brewers is Jake Miller. And what once was a class project back in 2013 has now become a small company. As you might expect, the company consists of a “handful of nerds in love with coffee.” They’re creating functional brewers to help you pour the perfect cup of Joe.

Miller launched his project on Kickstarter with the company’s Duo Coffee Steeper back in 2013 with much success. Since then, they’ve been improving designs to ensure customers have an easier time making delicious coffee at home.

Fellow’s use of 3D printing allows them to put their new designs into new hands, namely through quick iterations and improvements. Everyone at Fellow, no matter their position, plays a part in the design and creation of products.

Hannah McPhee, Fellow’s brand manager, explains:

“This aspect of our company helps us gain a unique perspective on special features and helps us understand the user experience better because we have more heads combining to tackle a problem or product.”

Coffee Creations Fresh from the 3D Printer

The company uses 3D printing to test new designs. They believe that prototyping is the key to their success and encourage other businesses to do the same. McPhee adds:

“We learn something new in the design process of every product, so no two 3D printing and modeling program recipes have ever stayed the same product to product. To see how our product takes up space in kitchens is incredibly helpful to figure out if we are on the right track for form and function.”

3D printing allows for observational research and allows the company to assess the product with focus groups. McPhee adds that this also allows the company to get close to the “natural interaction between the final product and the user’s home.”

McPhee goes as far as saying she’d be shocked if they didn’t start making regular use of 3D printing.

Want to find out more about how 3D printing and a latte can come together? Check out Fellow’s latest products on their website.

Source: i.materialise