20+ YEARS ‘SKIN IN THE GAME’
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Since its inception in 2003, PinkOliv has evolved from a creative design platform into a fully-fledged Circular Venture Studio. Over the past two decades, we have sat on both sides of the table.
We have designed strategies and products for international giants (including Coca-Cola, Samsonite, Brussels Airlines, and Bombardier), yet we also stood with our feet in the mud as the founders of our own brands. We launched 150+ brands, co-founded 35+ startups or spin-offs, and brought thousands of custom products to the market.
Today, we channel this combined expertise – the rigor of a corporate partner and the speed of a startup founder – exclusively into the circular economy. We don’t just advise; we venture with care.
System, Innovation & Business Design
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Stefan Van Ouytsel
Stefan is the strategic architect, but one with oil on his hands. He grew up in his parents’ workshop, where custom motocross clothing and saddles were made, and spends most of his time merging genuine craftsmanship with modern technology. He is a design thinker, strategic designer, and innovation coach with a thrill for implementing new business models and strategies that result in sustainable concepts.
As a former startup and innovation coach (Voka), professor at the Design Academy Eindhoven (Man & Mobility department), and corporate design consultant (e.g., Enthoven Associates), he understands how to translate abstract market opportunities into economic reality. At PinkOliv, Stefan focuses on rigorous validation and the design of scalable, closed-loop circular business models.
Product, Craft & Branding
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Annelies Geukens
Annelies is the maker who brings circular visions to life. She is a genuine hands-on craftswoman and fashion designer, having inherited the passion for textiles and pattern-making from her mother’s side. With a unique talent for turning opportunities into tangible brands, products, and spaces, she manages the entire spectrum from unique prototypes to small production series.
A specialist in ‘soft products’ (from luggage and garment design to soft toys), she worked her way up at international design teams (including Delsey Benelux, Maximaldesign/Yellow Window) and brand owners (including Samsonite, Kipling). Together with Stefan, she has successfully created and managed several brands since 2008. From two-dimensional graphics to Inspiring trade fair booths, she makes it happen. Annelies loves ticking the boxes and getting things done.