Excursion: Open Funk

On 9th of October 2024, we visited Open Funk at Motionlab Berlin, a makerspace in Neukölln, and met one of the founders Paul Anca.
Frustrated by the poor repairability of conventional blenders, they developed the re:Mix, a powerful blender that uses mason jars and is based on open source instructions. Paul brings expertise in business and UX design, while Ken is an industrial designer. Initially working on a prototype, they now have their own production garage, which has enabled them to take the step to series production. A key element of their design is the use of sheet material for the housing, which eliminates the need for moulding processes and can be easily recycled. This is complemented by 3D-printed components that decentralise the repair process. Standardised screw-top jars serve as mixing containers, which not only reduces the amount of dishwashing but also conserves resources. In the future, they could also imagine working with larger manufacturers to reprocess returned motors and integrate them into their mixers. The design of the re:Mix emphasises reparability, promotes self-repair and contributes to education in the field of the circular economy. Each appliance is labelled with a QR code that provides information about the material used and how it can be recycled, to make not only the product but also the concept of sustainability transparent. The main consumers are ‘foodies’, people who value sustainable and high-quality kitchen appliances. With their product, Anca and Rostand offer an alternative to big brands, which often react less flexibly to the requirements of sustainability and reparability.
Paul gave us a very good insight into the freedoms and hurdles involved in founding a start-up and how they now sell 240 mixers a month throughout Europe from their garage.