Product innovation Archives • Verhaert Masters in Innovation

How milk preferences are driving innovation in coffee machine technologies

Ben Van Dyck — Thu, 20 Aug 2026 10:36:26 +0000

Ordering a coffee used to be simple: black or with milk. Today, it’s a decision tree: oat, almond, soy, coconut; hot or iced; light foam or velvety microfoam. This growing diversity of preferences, especially the mainstream rise of plant-based milks, is introducing a new layer of complexity for coffee machine manufacturers. Milk is no longer a simple ingredient. It has become a variable that challenges consistency, performance, and design, quietly driving a new wave of innovation in how coffee machines are engineered.

A trip down memory lane

The widespread popularization of café culture has reshaped how consumers experience coffee, turning it into a daily ritual defined by quality, convenience and choice. As café visits increased, so did expectations at home, pushing consumers to seek the same level of control and consistency in their own kitchens. In recent decades, coffee has shifted further toward personalisation, covering strength, temperature, milk type and foam texture. At the same time, plant-based milk has moved from niche alternative to mainstream choice, increasing the need for advanced milk systems that can support a growing diversity of coffee beverages.

Why milk choice creates a technical problem

The growing diversity of milk options has introduced a complex technical challenge for coffee systems. Milk foaming depends heavily on its protein and fat composition, which directly influences stability and texture. Most current foaming technologies require a minimum protein level of around 1% to ensure consistent results. However, some plant-based alternatives fall far below this threshold, for example, coconut milk contains only around 0.1% protein, making stable foam formation significantly more difficult.

Beyond protein content, plant-based milks also vary widely in how they respond to heat, steam, agitation, and emulsification, leading to inconsistent performance across different drinks and machine settings. This variability creates a major engineering challenge for manufacturers aiming for universal compatibility.

At the same time, consumer expectations have risen sharply. While over 80% of coffee is now consumed at home, 72% of consumers still believe professional barista output is superior, highlighting a clear performance gap. Café culture has set a high standard for latte art and microfoam consistency, and home users increasingly expect the same quality.

How coffee machine makers are responding

Coffee machine manufacturers are responding to the rise in milk diversity by developing a range of proprietary milk foaming technologies tailored to different consumer needs. The goal is to deliver a consistent sensory experience, balancing texture, taste, and visual appeal, such as microfoam quality. This requires precise control over the interaction between gas, liquid, and surfactants, achieved through carefully calibrated energy inputs within the system.

A key innovation focus is flexibility, with machines increasingly designed to handle both hot and cold foam variations, while adapting to the specific characteristics of different milk types, including plant-based alternatives. At the same time, hygiene has become a critical engineering challenge. Milk is a high-risk bio-contaminant, this in combination with the variety of types and uses, requires robust systems that prevent microbial growth. As a result, manufacturers are investing in Clean-in-Place (CIP) technologies and redesigning internal fluid pathways to eliminate stagnant zones and ensure compliance with strict food safety standards.

Future outlook

Looking ahead, coffee machines are set to become increasingly intelligent and adaptive. Future systems will likely auto-detect milk types and use AI-driven calibration to optimize texture and foam quality in real time. Foam profiles will expand beyond the simple dairy versus non-dairy distinction, enabling more precise customization by beverage and user preference. As a result, milk is no longer a passive ingredient but a key design constraint and innovation driver, transforming coffee machines into fully adaptive beverage platforms.

Milk handling is only one part of that broader engineering challenge. As beverage appliances become more compact, versatile and performance-driven, product teams are also exploring new ways to:

Cool products efficiently in increasingly compact systems
Control pressure, temperature and flow throughout the dispense path
Use CFD and thermal simulation to reduce development risk before hardware is built

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Defense tech adoption: A 10-step guide to scaling dual-use innovation

Lieven Claeys — Fri, 14 Aug 2026 12:36:20 +0000

Dual-use technology is no longer a fringe topic. It is the most critical pathway for accelerating defense capability development across Europe. From edge computing and digital twins to autonomous systems and smart payloads, commercial markets are moving fast. These technologies can revolutionize defense capabilities, but only if they are identified, adapted, and scaled correctly. This practical 10-step guide explores how organizations can bridge that gap and turn promising dual-use technologies into real-world defense impact.

Want to know more about dual-use technology? Check out our previous blog about How dual-use innovation fixes Europe’s defense innovation bottleneck!

Step 1: Start with the operational need

Every successful innovation journey starts with the mission, not the technology. Begin by identifying the specific operational challenge you want to solve. Are you trying to improve situational awareness? Reduce risks for soldiers? Secure critical infrastructure?

A well-defined need provides a clear filter for evaluating potential solutions. Rather than chasing the latest technology, you build a focused pipeline of capabilities that directly support operational objectives.

Step 2: Translate the need into capability requirements

Once the mission is clear, translate it into concrete technical and operational requirements. Consider factors such as performance under extreme conditions, ruggedization, SWaP constraints, cybersecurity and interoperability.

A commercial product might work flawlessly in a civilian setting but may fail on the battlefield. The goal of this step isn’t to copy civilian technology, but to adapt it intelligently so it can succeed in demanding defense scenarios.

Step 3: Scout beyond the traditional defense ecosystem

Many of today’s most promising technologies originate outside the defense sector. Start-ups, space companies, AI developers, and advanced manufacturing firms are pushing the boundaries of innovation and hold capabilities ripe for transfer.

That’s why broadening your scouting search increases the chances of finding faster, more cost-effective solutions. Structured initiatives like open calls for innovation challenges, hackathons, and accelerators are vital for engaging these non-traditional innovators.

Step 4: Evaluate technology maturity and mission fit

Finding an innovative solution is only the beginning. The next question is whether it can realistically meet operational demands. You should assess both technical maturity and mission relevance. Is it secure? Can it integrate with legacy systems? Does the supplier have the bandwidth to support long-term defense applications? Focusing on these questions helps identify the technologies with the clearest, most viable path to operational readiness.

Step 5: Test early, realistically, and repeatedly

In general, assumptions should be challenged as early as possible. Field trials, simulated operations, and technical assessments all can provide the evidence needed to validate performance before major investments are made. Early testing also exposes integration challenges, security vulnerabilities, and operational limitations before heavy investments have been made.

Early structured validation can reduce late-stage acquisition failure rates by up to 40%.

Step 6: Adapt and ruggedize the solution

Turning commercial technology into defense capability requires far more than minor modifications. Hardware must be ruggedized, cybersecurity strengthened, data protected in GPS-denied environments, and power consumption optimized.

This step demands multidisciplinary expertise across mechanics, electronics, AI, and system architecture. The strongest solutions are fully integrated systems, not isolated tech.

Step 7: Plan for integration from the start

A tool that can’t communicate with your operational environment is useless. Integration and interoperability should therefore be treated as a strategic design principle from the outset, not as a final implementation task. It’s the only way to guarantee that new solutions integrate seamlessly with existing platforms, command structures, and secure networks.

Step 8: Build organizational absorption capacity

Technology alone does not create innovation. Organizations also need the right processes, structures skills, procurement flexibility, data security knowledge and governance to adopt new capabilities successfully.

Without that internal capacity, even the promising technologies often struggle to move beyond pilot projects, regardless of their technical potential.

Step 9: Bridge the gap from prototype to production

Many promising innovations stall in the so-called ‘valley of death’ between successful demonstration and operational deployment. A working prototype may prove feasibility, but it says little about production quality, scalable manufacturing and secure European supply chains.

Questions about manufacturing capacity, supply chain resilience, maintenance, and lifecycle support should be addressed early. After all, a capability only delivers strategic value if it can be produced, deployed, and sustained over time.

Step 10: Create a repeatable innovation pipeline

Organizations that consistently outperform others do not rely on isolated innovation projects. Instead, they establish repeatable processes that continuously connect operational needs with market intelligence, technology validation, and industrial scaling.

By connecting dual-use innovation into a structured pipeline, with market intelligence, technical validation, and industrial scaling, defense organizations can respond more quickly to emerging threats while maintaining a lasting strategic advantage.

How Verhaert supports dual-use adoption

Verhaert guides defense organizations and contractors through the entire dual-use journey. From defining capability needs and scouting emerging tech to ruggedizing systems and industrial scaling, we bridge the gap between commercial innovation and operational readiness.

Our multidisciplinary expertise spans space, cyber, medical, and autonomous systems.

For defense forces: Faster access to relevant, deployable technologies.
For contractors: A robust innovation pipeline and scalable engineering capacity.
For Europe: A fortified, sovereign technology base.

Don’t let your innovations die in the ‘valley of death’. Ready to turn commercial innovation into strategic advantage? Book a consultation with Verhaert’s defense engineering experts to build a secure, scalable and repeatable dual-use adoption pipeline.

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How dual-use innovation fixes Europe’s defense innovation bottleneck

Lieven Claeys — Wed, 01 Jul 2026 08:30:23 +0000

As geopolitical tensions rise, Europe is pouring millions into defense R&D. However, the public discourse is dominated by a fundamental misunderstanding of what is actually not working. If you look beneath the surface, the crisis isn’t a lack of brilliant ideas or cutting-edge tech. The real bottleneck is systemic: Europe suffers from an acute shortage of mechanisms that turn commercial innovation into operational military capability. Let’s explore.

The misconception: Europe is losing the tech race

There’s a prevailing narrative in defense circles that Europe is falling behind because it lacks cutting-edge technology. We look at the rapid rise of commercial AI, autonomous systems, and advanced sensors elsewhere and assume European defense suffers from an innovation shortage.

But this is a myth. Europe doesn’t have an innovation problem. European labs, start-ups, and commercial tech hubs are overflowing with world-class capabilities. The main bottleneck is that Europe suffers from a shortage of mechanisms that turn commercial innovation into operational capability.

Why the gap exists: The procurement wall

Historically, defense innovation flowed from military R&D down to the civilian sector (think GPS or the internet). Today, that current has reversed. Over 80% of critical emerging technologies are driven by commercial R&D, not defense spending.

Over 80% of critical emerging technologies today are driven by commercial R&D, not defense spending.

While commercial tech cycles are measured in weeks, traditional military procurement cycles are still measured in years, sometimes longer. This creates a structural misalignment:

The valley of death: Start-ups develop groundbreaking dual-use solutions but go bankrupt trying to deal with rigid, bureaucratic defense acquisition processes.
The requirements mismatch: Commercial tech often fails to meet strict military ruggedization, cybersecurity or interoperability standards.
The scalability trap: A successful technology demonstration or pilot project rarely translates into a deployed, mass-produced operational and qualified asset.

So the bottleneck isn’t technology creation, it’s the adoption pipeline.

Introducing ‘innovation absorption’

To bridge this gap, European defense forces and defense contractors (and leaders) must shift their focus from inventing new technologies to mastering innovation absorption. This is an organization’s ability to identify external, commercially available technologies, validate their operational relevance, ruggedize them for harsh environments, and scale them rapidly into active service.

This is where dual-use innovation becomes a strategic necessity rather than a buzzword. Dual-use technologies, such as industrial drones adapted for tactical reconnaissance, or secure commercial IoT architectures strengthening battlefield communications, are already funded, tested and scaled by the market.

Adapting commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) technology can reduce deployment timelines by up to 60%.

By focusing on absorption rather than creation, Europe can leverage these dual-use ecosystems to bypass long R&D phases entirely. Adapting commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) technology can reduce deployment timelines by up to 60%, but this requires a deliberate, structured methodology to bridge the civilian and military worlds.

Building the absorption pipeline

For over three decades, Verhaert has operated at the intersection of advanced tech, industrial innovation, and strategic defense capability. This experience has provided insight into the mechanisms crucial to assessing, adapting and integrating commercial technologies into defense contexts.

Strategic sourcing & scouting: Starting from the capability gaps, we identify and validate emerging tech from across Europe and, broadening your access beyond traditional procurement channels.
Validation & operational testing: Not every promising tech is deployment-ready. That’s why we organize rigorous testing environments and demonstration programs to assess real-world mission relevance and, minimizing risk.
Capability building: Technology alone doesn’t win. Through consulting and training, we help your organization build innovation as a core, repeatable capability.
Engineering & system integration: Commercial products must be ruggedized, secured and adapted for harsh environments. Multidisciplinary engineering teams handle system architectures, AI integration, cybersecurity, optics, electronics and much more.
Industrial scaling & production: We bridge the gap from prototype to deployment by supporting pilot production and scalable manufacturing, ensuring innovations become true operational assets.

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The economics of scale: Solving the cell therapy manufacturing bottleneck

Aimée Mugisha — Tue, 03 Mar 2026 15:05:25 +0000

Cell-based therapies, especially Chimeric Antigen Receptor (CAR) T-cell therapies, have evolved from scientific advances to established pillars of oncology. By re-engineering immune cells to target specific cancer markers, these “living drugs” offer curative potential where traditional treatments fail. However, in 2026, the strategic challenge has shifted: the industry must now move from “bespoke” clinical success to high-volume, predictable manufacturing.

The state of things: The $475,000 ceiling

In 2026, extreme reimbursement pressure defines the economic landscape. Established therapies like Novartis’s Kymriah list at about $475,000 (USA price), but total care costs, including ICU monitoring and complex logistics, often exceed $1.2 million.

Outcome-based reimbursement now ties payments to long-term patient survival. For developers, a failed batch or process delay is not just a lost product but a direct financial and regulatory liability. Reducing Cost of Goods Sold (COGS) via smarter equipment architecture is essential for commercial sustainability.

The challenges: overcoming the scaling barrier

Despite commercial success by leaders like Kite Pharma and Legend Biotech, manufacturing costs remain high. These challenges fall into three main categories:

1. The human variable (labor & expertise)

Manufacturing remains heavily dependent on manual intervention. Our analysis¹ of 2026 industry benchmarks shows that labor accounts for 45-50% of total COGS.

2. The facility footprint

Manual processes require “open” systems and Grade B cleanrooms, which are significantly more expensive to build and operate than lower-grade environments due to strict HVAC, gowning, and monitoring requirements.

3. The ‘comparability trap’

Many innovators rely on manual, ‘open’ processes during phase 1, ‘Proof-of-Concept’, to reach the clinic quickly. However, by the time they reach phase 2b or 3 clinical trials, the transition to automated platforms often alters the cellular product’s phenotype or potency. This triggers a mandatory comparability study, a major regulatory hurdle that can lead to years of delay or even a Complete Response Letter (CRL) from the FDA. Success in 2026 requires an ‘automation-by-design’ strategy that integrates scalable equipment architecture before the first patient is even dosed.

Insights for COGS reduction: A technological roadmap

The path to reducing COGS lies in how equipment is designed to handle the biological journey. We see three main areas where technical intervention yields the highest ROI:

1. Transitioning to functionally closed systems

The primary goal is to encapsulate the process – from activation to harvest – within a sterile, operator-independent environment.

Moving to functionally closed systems enables manufacturers to operate in less costly Grade C or D cleanrooms instead of expensive Grade B environments, reducing facility overhead by an estimated 20-30%.

Achieving this shift requires more than a closed loop. It demands precision-engineered single-use fluidic manifolds optimized for laminar flow and low shear stress. We emphasize integrating non-invasive sensor arrays using optical and ultrasonic technologies directly into the flow path. By sensing through manifold walls or using gamma-sterilized inline components, sterility is maintained while providing a digital orchestration layer. This not only monitors the process but creates a self-documenting, high-integrity environment that replaces manual QC with hardware-level validation.

2. Future-proofing scale: From modularity to multi-batch

While scaling out (parallel modularity) is the current industry standard, the roadmap toward 2030 points to process intensification.

Not every enterprise is ready to adopt multi-batch platforms today. The immediate opportunity is to design modular systems that improve efficiency through shared subsystems.

For those ready to scale further, analyzing concurrent multi-batch platforms – where one system processes multiple patient batches in isolated parallel lanes – can maximize throughput per square meter of cleanroom and significantly reduce depreciation costs per patient.

3. The ‘comparability trap’

In 2026, relying on end-of-process testing is a high-risk strategy.

Incorporating real-time metabolic sensors (glucose, lactate, pH) directly into equipment provides immediate process visibility. In practice, teams increasingly combine optical and electrochemical sensing (e.g., spectroscopy/imaging plus pH/DO/glucose/lactate) to reduce manual sampling and detect drift earlier. The other half of the equation is software built for auditability: data integrity, traceability, and cybersecurity by design, so process intelligence can credibly support release decisions and tech transfer, not just R&D experiments.

Using digital twins to simulate thermal and fluidic behavior enables automated ‘corrective adjustments’. When implemented effectively, this reduces late-stage surprises and recovers time lost to manual QC and deviation handling.

The state of things: The $475,000 ceiling

In 2026, science is often proven; commercial sustainability depends on industrial execution. Accelerating growth through the industrial development of medical equipment constitutes a critical strategic differentiator. The most durable COGS gains come from reducing operator-dependent variability, designing for functional closure, and shortening feedback loops between process signals and decisions.

Two questions help teams focus quickly: (1) Is your main constraint QC lead time, facility utilization, or batch failure risk? (2) Which unit operation still relies on ‘expert operators’ rather than defined control limits? Clear answers usually identify the next best investment in automation, analytics, or GMP-ready architecture.

The science is proven. Is your industrial execution ready?

If you are struggling to move from a manual ‘hands-on’ process to a predictable, high-volume system, you need a partner who understands the full innovation journey. Our team specializes in co-creating life sciences products that are built for the market from day one. We help you integrate connected IoT devices, user-centric hardware, and scalable architectures to ensure your ‘living drug’ is as commercially viable as it is scientifically ground-breaking.

Ready to turn your scientific breakthrough into a sustainable commercial success? Get in touch with our Product Innovation team to boost your R&D capacity and co-create the systems you need to win in the market.

Download the one-page guide to solving cell therapy bottlenecks

(1) These figures are a synthesis of data from:
Lab Practices Committee – International Society for Cell & Gene Therapy. (n.d.). Higher Logic, LLC. https://www.isctglobal.org/about/isct-committees/lpc
Mordor Intelligence. (n.d.). Manufacturing services research reports and market analysis. https://www.mordorintelligence.com/market-analysis/manufacturing-services
PricewaterhouseCoopers. (n.d.). Cell and gene therapy: how to overcome manufacturing challenges. PwC. https://www.pwc.be/en/news-publications/2023/how-to-overcome-manufacturing-challenges.html

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How Zehnder and Verhaert Nederland drive structural innovation

Michiel Kraijer — Wed, 11 Feb 2026 11:19:08 +0000

Innovating in a technical, international market requires more than strong ideas alone. It demands structure, clear decision-making, and the right combination of capabilities. At Zehnder, a leading manufacturer of ventilation and climate systems, product innovation is therefore not a standalone initiative but a continuous, strategic process. In its collaboration with Verhaert Nederland, the company found exactly the support it needed to make innovation both manageable and scalable.

Zehnder is widely recognized in the market for Swiss quality and precision; and not by coincidence. The Ventilation business unit is the company’s growth engine and invests consistently in technology development. “We cannot and do not want to compete on price,” says Denis van Bezu, Director Group Product Management Ventilation. “Our strategy is to develop best-in-class products that lead technologically and meet increasingly stringent market and regulatory requirements.”

Innovation as a structured process

Within Zehnder, international R&D teams work on a broad portfolio, ranging from balanced ventilation to systems that not only refresh air but also cool, heat and condition it. “We deliberately separate innovation from day-to-day product development,” Van Bezu explains. “In addition to a product roadmap, we work with a technology roadmap that explores future technological building blocks. New technologies are first investigated in small technology innovation projects before finding their way into concrete products.”

From agile chaos to predictable progress

When Van Bezu joined Zehnder, product development followed Agile Scrum principles. “That can work well for software, but for complex physical products it proved to be a recipe for delays and misalignment,” he says. Projects ran over schedule, and outcomes did not sufficiently align with the original objectives.

BEACON (part of Verhaert Nederland) supported Zehnder in redesigning and re-implementing its Stage-Gate process and provided experienced project managers who brought structure, transparency, and momentum. This approach not only laid the foundation for successful projects but also enabled Zehnder to build its own international project management organization.

How the BEACON-Verhaert approach secures Zehnder’s innovation path

In a later phase, the strength of the BEACON and Verhaert combination became particularly evident. Zehnder requested an independent analysis of an existing product that was not meeting commercial expectations. While BEACON ensured structured project management, clear scope, and well-defined deliverables, Verhaert contributed deep technical expertise across electronics, mechanics, and system architecture.

The result was a thorough, multidisciplinary analysis with well-founded recommendations. “We didn’t get any ‘low-hanging fruit,’ which I may have secretly hoped for,” Van Bezu reflects. “But it did deliver strategic insights that confirmed we are already making the right technological choices at Zehnder. Validation from an expert partner with experience across multiple industries is incredibly valuable. It shows that our decisions are sound and highlights where future opportunities lie, for example, in the further development of a new electronics platform. I expect we will evaluate our designs this way more often in the future together with Verhaert.”

One point of contact, maximum impact

A key advantage for Zehnder was the BEACON project manager’s bridging role. This provided a single point of contact, clear deliverables, speed, and, at the same time, access to a broad team of Verhaert specialists. As a result, the collaboration remained transparent and effective, even in an international setting with numerous stakeholders involved.

Future-proof innovation

Zehnder operates in a market undergoing rapid change. European sustainability ambitions, evolving indoor climate requirements, and the growing demand for energy-efficient cooling make innovation more urgent than ever. The ambition is clear: to solidify their position as an industry leader, with products that customers, installers and architects genuinely enjoy working with.

The collaboration with Verhaert Nederland aligns seamlessly with that ambition. By working with a partner in a supportive role, helping Zehnder can organize, validate and accelerate innovation more effectively. While BEACON provides control, structure, and clarity in decision-making, Verhaert delivers technical depth and an innovative, cross-sector perspective.

For Zehnder and any forward-thinking organization, this partnership provides the strategic foundation to turn complex challenges into long-term market leadership. It is a proven model in which structured management meets deep technical insight, ensuring innovation isn’t just a goal but a sustained competitive advantage.

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Beyond “connected”: The architecture of the next generation of intelligence

Rudy Van Raemdonck — Mon, 02 Feb 2026 21:33:24 +0000

Today’s users expect devices that are smarter, faster, more intuitive, more secure, and more private – while remaining affordable. They want seamless intelligence without friction, without thinking about what it takes to deliver it. For product teams, this creates a paradox: delivering that experience requires increasing technical and regulatory effort, which directly impacts development time and cost.

The evolution from IoT to AIoT

In the history of embedded systems, we have moved from the discrete digital logic of the 1960s to the hyper-connected IoT era of the late 2000s, enabled by the ability to connect even small devices reliably to the cloud. This connectivity unlocked entirely new classes of applications, but it also introduced a strong dependency on continuous communication.

Today, we are seeing the next evolution with AIoT (Artificial Intelligence of Things). Advances in hardware and software now make it possible to embed intelligence directly at the edge, allowing devices to operate more autonomously and remain functional even when cloud connectivity is limited or temporarily unavailable. In practice, this leads to hybrid architectures where local intelligence complements the cloud rather than replaces it.

As expectations for ‘smart’ products continue to rise, addressing this paradox within fixed time and budget constraints requires a shift in design philosophy. This shift involves combining the right state-of-the-art technologies to increase engineering efficiency and reduce development complexity.

The rise of the crossover MCU: Bridging the power-performance gap

For years, engineers had to choose between the efficiency of a smaller and more integrated Microcontroller (MCU) and the high-performance complexity of an Application Processor (MPU). The emergence of so-called crossover MCUs has broken this dichotomy. By integrating multiple heterogeneous cores – such as a Cortex-M7 for performance and a Cortex-M4 for real-time tasks – these chips now offer MPU-level power with MCU-level efficiency.

This shift allows us to move away from expensive, power-hungry System-on-Modules (SOM) while retaining the ‘number-crunching’ ability needed for advanced encryption and on-device (artificial) intelligence.

Zephyr: The new standard for embedded portability

As MCUs become more complex, software must become more abstract. The Zephyr RTOS is becoming the “Linux of the embedded world”. Its vendor-independent architecture allows developers to write code that isn’t tied to a specific piece of silicon. Zephyr supports over 900 starter kits, demonstrating its broad adoption across MCU architectures and platforms.

In a landscape where regulatory requirements are becoming mandatory, Zephyr’s built-in security features, from secure boot to encrypted over-the-air (OTA) updates, provide more standardized options for compliance that was previously a custom-build challenge.

The edge AI paradigm: Intelligence without the tether

One of the defining characteristics of next-generation smart products is the ability to process data locally through Edge AI. Rather than relying exclusively on cloud-based intelligence, devices can make decisions closer to where data is generated.

This approach addresses several challenges associated with cloud-dependent IoT architectures, including:

Latency: Local processing enables faster response times for time-critical actions.
Privacy: Sensitive data remains on the device, reducing exposure and increasing user trust.
Energy efficiency: Limiting high-bandwidth data transmission can significantly reduce power consumption.

Recent advances in AI techniques now allow complex neural networks to be optimized so they can run efficiently on cost-effective, low-power hardware.

The compliance catalyst: The role of the Cyber Resilience Act

Meeting high product requirements now includes meeting a new legal reality: the European Cyber Resilience Act. Security can no longer be a ‘patchwork’ effort added late in the cycle; it must be an architectural pillar.

The synergy of this ‘power trio’ provides a strategic path to compliance:

Hardware-rooted trust: Crossover MCUs provide the physical foundation for secure boot and native encryption.
Lifecycle management: Zephyr enables the secure OTA updates required to manage vulnerabilities throughout a product’s mandated support window.
Data sovereignty: Edge AI naturally aligns with privacy-first mandates by reducing the attack surface of the product.

From complexity to synergy

The challenge of modern product development is that sophisticated features often lead to technical complexity, longer development cycles and higher costs. At the same time, products must meet increasingly strict security and regulatory requirements, often invisible to the end user, but critical for market access and long-term viability.

Understanding how the synergy between crossover hardware, scalable OS layers and edge intelligence can reduce engineering effort is key to delivering products that are intuitive and powerful, but also secure and compliant by design.

We are moving toward a future where ‘smart’ is no longer a feature, but an inherent, autonomous quality that evolves over time.

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Designing around the skilled workers shortage

Berend Vermeulen — Mon, 26 Jan 2026 17:01:18 +0000

Innovation is racing ahead, but the hands that make it work are in short supply. Across industries, the shortage of skilled craftsmen, technicians and installers is quietly threatening product performance, safety and customer trust. Products are unavailable or fail, not because of design flaws, but because there aren’t enough trained people to build and install them correctly. Companies are now rethinking mechanical design, building products that protect both results and reputation.

When innovation outpaces availability

Across many industries, the shortage of skilled workers has become an invisible weak link, one that is quietly undermining product performance, customer satisfaction and even safety. Manufacturers may be pushing technological boundaries, but innovation alone is not enough when there are too few qualified hands to properly build and install increasingly sophisticated systems. For customers, the impact is immediate and frustrating: long waits for installation, reduced access to certain products and, in some cases, systems that fail not because of poor design, but because they were installed incorrectly.

Nowhere is this challenge more evident than in the construction sector. Areas such as gate hardware, ventilation and electrical systems demand deep technical knowledge, rigorous training and years of practical experience. Take ventilation systems as an example. Incorrect drainage can cause unpleasant odors and inefficient pipe layouts with excessive bends will generate more noise and reduce efficiency. Inevitably, this will not only damage system performance but also the product’s and brand’s reputations.

Solutions in mechanical design

In response to this shortage, companies are rethinking mechanical design to ensure performance, safety and protect brand reputation. Mechanical products should be more straightforward so they are easier to build and more intuitive to install so that even less-experienced installers can achieve correct results without compromising quality. The principle is simple: assume that everything that can go wrong will go wrong, and design systems to minimize the risks.

This approach builds on the broader trend of user-centered design. Extensive testing is at the core of this, with tools like failure mode and effects analysis (FMEA) to anticipate risks and prioritize fixes, and poka-yoke and design-for-assembly techniques to ensure components fit together only in the correct way or even better, when it doesn’t matter how they’re installed. The changes can range from complete redesigns to simple nudges, such as clear visual cues, color coding and physical guides.

Of course, redesigning product lines and making products installer-friendly isn’t free. Designers and engineers constantly juggle simplicity with performance, durability and cost, and offer the company the insights needed to make the right decisions through precise data, rigorous testing and past experience. This is crucial because each decision also sends a message about the brand. Over time, documenting lessons learned helps keep that knowledge alive, so new products continue to improve in line with the current climate.

The ripple effect of installer-friendly design

Making products easier to build and install doesn’t just help manufacturers and installers, it benefits everyone along the chain. For customers, it often means shorter wait times and fewer product failures, improving both satisfaction and trust. Design strategies like modular or prefabricated systems make selection, sales and installation easier, allowing for customization without complicating the process. On the other hand, approaches such as design-for-disassembly boost repairability, Bosch, Makita and Fairphone being prime examples.

Simplifying installations also frees highly skilled personnel to focus on complex tasks, whether specialized repairs or intricate system setups. In some cases, straightforward setups can be handled by end users themselves, such as Telenet’s Wi-Fi kits or Renson’s ventilation setup packaging templates.

A third redesign benefit is in standardizing product lines, which reduces the time and effort needed to train installers. Locinox locks, for instance, all follow the same drilling patterns and steps, while apps and digital guides replace bulky manuals, providing accessible instructions for both installers and users. These improvements not only make life easier for professionals but also enhance the end customer’s experience, a win-win across the board.

The future is modular, flexible and user-centered

The shortage of skilled installers isn’t going away anytime soon, and technology isn’t slowing down either. That means companies will need to keep designing with ease of manufacturing, installation, modularity and personalization in mind. While prefab and simplified systems may make manufacturing and installation easier, customers still want to be able to customize and personalize according to their needs and preferences. Modular approaches will have to ensure people can mix and match, just as in the car industry, where ‘blocks’ of features give users more freedom. In this context, young designers and external consultants can also bring fresh eyes and new ideas to challenge old habits. In the end, thinking about manufacturers, installers and users isn’t just practical, it’s becoming a key way to stay competitive, flexible and trusted in a fast-changing world.

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How project-based multidisciplinary teams drive product innovation success

Laurien Wolfswinkel — Mon, 08 Dec 2025 09:36:54 +0000

In product innovation, technical feasibility is only one dimension of success. Innovation only succeeds when organizations combine the right expertise with structured project leadership, ensuring that multidisciplinary insights are applied at the right time. Many technically promising concepts fail because they do not address customer needs, are difficult to manufacture at scale, or create cost or quality risks that only surface once other departments get involved. Let’s dive into a few key strategies to avoid this.

Early cross-functional involvement prevents late surprises

In many organizations, development still follows a linear ‘relay race’ approach. Engineering works out the solution, and only after major decisions are fixed do departments like production, quality, purchasing or sales evaluate the impact. By that point, even well-founded input may require redesigns that are costly or impractical.

In many of the product development projects we’ve worked on, we’ve seen that involving multiple disciplines from the start acts as an early-warning system. Teams detect mismatches between technical feasibility, commercial viability, and operational complexity sooner, allowing scope, positioning, or solution direction to be adjusted before significant resources are committed. This is why structured early involvement is so critical — the opportunity to pivot is greatest before design decisions solidify.

Clear roles accelerate decisions and reduce risks

Successful multidisciplinary teams are not undefined collectives; they operate with clear roles anchored to project deliverables. A structured setup helps each discipline raise concerns before they become issues. For example, in consumer products, the purchasing department can signal long-lead or volatile components before commitments are made. In high-tech equipment, the quality department can verify whether early design choices meet regulatory expectations before the team invests further.

Project managers with broad innovation experience play an essential role here. They facilitate trade-offs, keep decisions transparent and ensure that information flows across disciplines instead of becoming siloed. This coordination prevents teams from progressing at different speeds or making assumptions that conflict later.

Active engagement strengthens team performance

When team members are involved from the beginning and understand how their input shapes the product, ownership naturally increases. In practice, this often turns experts into internal ambassadors for the product: engineers see their constraints addressed early, production teams see their concerns incorporated into the design, and commercial stakeholders see customer insights reflected in real decisions. Motivation rises not because of extra effort, but because expertise has a direct impact. Collaboration strengthens, frustrations decrease and milestones feel shared rather than departmental.

Early insight prevents late disappointments

A multidisciplinary setup is also a powerful early-warning mechanism. Teams recognize much sooner when a concept may lack commercial viability, even if it is technically promising. Identifying these signals early allows for timely adjustments to scope, positioning or solution direction before significant resources are committed.

Skilled project leadership pays off

Guiding multidisciplinary innovation requires project managers who can move confidently between technical, commercial and organizational perspectives. In many projects, late feedback loops, late risk discovery and misaligned priorities are common pitfalls. Skilled project managers change this dynamic by bringing key disciplines into the conversation from the start. When manufacturing highlights assembly constraints early or marketing tests assumptions with customers during concept shaping, development becomes a parallel process rather than a chain of handovers. These structured interventions help teams gain early clarity, make informed trade-offs and progress together effectively.

Thanks to the experience across different product domains, project managers can recognize recurring patterns: where risks typically hide, which decisions require which experts and how to structure collaboration so teams stay aligned even under pressure.

Structured innovation drives measurable results

At BEACON Verhaert Nederland, project managers apply this expertise on-site within client organizations, helping to structure innovation projects, strengthen cross-functional teamwork, and support companies in building an approach they can continue to use long after the project ends.

If you want to strengthen your product innovation process or explore support for an upcoming project, get in touch with Michiel!

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Smaller, smarter, stronger: Chip-on-Board is the future of embedded intelligence

Dirck Seynaeve — Mon, 03 Nov 2025 16:27:19 +0000

The future belongs to those who rethink what’s possible. Across life sciences, logistics, smart homes and consumer appliances, the race is on to create products that are not just connected, but truly intelligent, efficient and secure. Achieving this next level of innovation requires bold choices in both technology and design. One solution leading the charge is Chip-on-Board (CoB) technology: a compact, dual-band Wi-Fi solution that redefines how next-generation products are designed and built. By integrating a complete System-on-Chip (SoC) directly onto application-specific printed circuit boards (PcBs), instead of adding connectivity via a plug-in module, this approach enables engineers to design smaller, smarter and more adaptable products without compromising performance.

Unlocking performance and flexibility through embedded design

Innovation thrives when technology becomes invisible, when performance, security and connectivity work seamlessly in the background. Unlike pre-assembled modules, CoB platforms – such as NXP’s – brings all key hardware and software components together in a single, secure chip – combining dual-band Wi-Fi (2.4 GHz & 5 GHz), Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) and open-standard protocols, ready to be mounted directly onto a customized PCB.

This embedded approach goes beyond saving space. It provides complete control over critical design elements such as RF performance, security architecture, thermal management, memory capacity and physical interfaces. Product teams can fine-tune devices to meet specific requirements, ensuring strong connectivity, reliability and energy efficiency across a wide range of applications – from wearable medical devices to smart home appliances or industrial sensors.

Innovation without compromise: Cost, security and speed

CoB designs deliver more than performance. By embedding the chip directly onto the PCB rather than relying on pre-assembled modules, developers can reduce costs and enhance security while gaining greater control over configuration, firmware and supply chain management. Although this approach may require more design-in effort than using a pre-certified module, it offers far more flexibility in placement, performance tuning and I/O access—ensuring the full potential of the SoC can be leveraged. At Verhaert, we apply this method in projects such as our collaboration with Newell, where custom SoC integration has proven to deliver tangible benefits in both cost efficiency and security. Devices become harder to hack, easier to update and ready for global deployment.

This approach also opens new business opportunities. Companies can explore connected-product-as-a-service models that keep devices intelligent and adaptable long after they leave the factory. From smart plugs to connected appliances, the possibilities for differentiation are endless.

The future of product innovation is embedded

We stand at the edge of a new frontier, where connected products are more than just tools – they’re experiences. Embedded solutions like NXP’s Chip-on-Board represent a shift toward products that are smaller, smarter, secure, scalable, cost-effective and sustainable.

With strong embedded solutions, innovation teams gain the freedom to move faster, think bigger and create products that not only meet today’s needs but help shape the future. The principle is simple: smarter products start with smarter design. If you’re exploring how to bring such possibilities to life, now is the time to start the conversation.

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From product to organization: The reach of breakthrough innovation

Quintijn Innikel — Mon, 22 Sep 2025 14:40:55 +0000

Markets evolve at unprecedented speed. New technologies, shifting customer expectations and bold competitors continually reshape industries. To stay relevant, companies must go beyond incremental improvements. They need to explore opportunities that challenge boundaries and sometimes the very way they operate. Breakthrough innovations are central to this endeavor. They do more than enhance existing offerings. They create entirely new directions, redefine business models, generate fresh revenue streams and strengthen competitive advantage. The challenge is that these innovations often lie outside the comfort zone of established structures. They demand fresh thinking, new capabilities and organizational transformation.

Pitfall: Rushing into development

When a new idea emerges, it can be tempting to start building right away. Yet the greatest risk in breakthrough innovation is rarely technical. The real uncertainty lies in market adoption. Will the solution meet a genuine need? Will customers embrace it? Success begins with validation. Only when ideas prove their value should significant resources be committed.

Step 1: Validate your idea

Early validation is critical. Systematic testing – through targeted engagement with potential users, simplified prototypes and iterative learning – confirms that an innovation meets market needs. Methods such as the Lean Startup approach emphasize starting small, measuring results and iterating quickly. This ensures development focuses on solutions that deliver real impact, reducing risk and improving the chances of success.

Step 2: Build the right team

Once an idea has been validated, the next step is development. Breakthrough innovations rarely fit within standard project structures. Teams that handle regular operations may lack the skills or perspective needed for a completely new approach. It is crucial to assemble a team with the right expertise, complemented where needed by external partners.

Innovation project management is central here. On-site project managers with broad cross-functional knowledge act as coordinators. They align market insights, technical development and organizational readiness. They implement requirements management early to define, track and communicate what the solution must achieve. PMs keep the team focused on validated objectives while allowing flexibility to adapt as new insights emerge. By embedding experienced project managers directly in the project, companies combine creative innovation with structured oversight, significantly increasing the likelihood of success.

Step 3: Prepare the organization

Bringing a breakthrough innovation to market often requires organizational change. Operational processes, supply chains, quality systems and workflows must be adapted to support the new solution. Knowledge gaps must be filled, and teams equipped to work in unfamiliar contexts. On-site project managers continue to play a key role. They coordinate between development and operations, ensure requirements are implemented as intended and support real-time problem-solving across departments. This integrated approach strengthens organizational readiness. It enables smoother handovers, efficient scaling and ultimately increases the chances that innovation succeeds in the market.

From concept to market win

Breakthrough innovations are essential to staying competitive in fast-moving markets, but they come with unique challenges. Success hinges not only on developing a technically sound solution but also on validating ideas early, assembling capable teams and preparing the organization to bring it to market.

What often makes the difference is how these efforts are connected. Strong project management keeps complex innovation journeys on track. Deep product innovation expertise provides the strategy, technology and development needed to deliver the solution itself. One without the other leaves gaps. Together, they ensure bold ideas are not only imagined but also executed and scaled successfully.

By combining the discipline of project management with the creativity and depth of product innovation, companies can reduce risk, accelerate progress and turn ambitious ideas into lasting impact. Breakthroughs are never easy, but with the right balance of structure and expertise, they can reshape products, organizations and markets alike.

Ready to bring your idea to market with multidisciplinary expertise in both product innovation and project management? Let’s make it happen.

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