Serge de Gheldere, 36, is ceo of Futureproof/ed, one of the first companies to exclusively focus on products/ services that reconcile sustainability, design and quality.

Serge has a degree of electromechanical engineer from Group T in Leuven (B), with a master in polymer and composites engineering. For his masters thesis, Serge worked for 4 months in Adriaan Beuker’s Advanced Structures and Materials Lab at the faculty of Aerospace engineering of the Technical University Delft. Before co-founding Futureproof/ed, de Gheldere spent seven years as product development engineer at Baxter R&D Europe, where he worked in a global team developing the industry’s first system to eliminate blood-borne pathogens in platelet transfusion products (for which he was awarded two patents).

De Gheldere's insight in product development, materials technology, mechanical and electrical engineering, and manufacturing has proved essential in shaping and growing Futureproof/ed, whose offerings are threefold: 1) Attractive, life-enhancing products with a minimal environmental footprint; 2) Ecological intelligence applied to product and space design; 3) Experience-driven workshops, training programs and consulting to help transform the way things are made.

In addition to his work at futureproof/ed, Serge is currently designer-in-residence in the xDesign program at the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering at Yale University

http://www.futureproofed.com >