Okinlab

Okinlab GmbH, founded in 2015 by architect Nikolas Feth and business entrepreneur Alessandro Quaranta, is a Saarbrücken-based company that has digitized the furniture industry through its intelligent design platform, form.bar. The company's core offering is a 3D real-time configurator available on their website (www.form.bar), which allows users to design customized furniture online without prior expertise. The platform utilizes a complex design algorithm that simulates the swarming behavior of birds and fishes, automatically reconfiguring the entire piece when modifications are made to ensure a balanced design. Once a customer completes their design, the form.bar software transmits production data to one of over 80 cabinetmaker workshops across Germany and other European countries, prioritizing proximity to the customer's location.

Okinlab's approach aims to revolutionize furniture production by enabling decentralized manufacturing closer to suppliers and customers, potentially reducing transportation distances and environmental impact. The company's product line includes a basic collection ranging from shelves to beds and TV stands, all of which can be customized to fit specific living spaces and personal preferences. Okinlab's furniture is made from wood, a renewable resource, and is particularly suited for maximizing space in urban environments with narrow corridors and high ceilings. As of February 2022, the company was focused on expanding its reach across Europe, with plans to establish form.bar as the continent's leading platform for online-designed and regionally produced furniture within five years.

Key customers and partnerships

Okinlab collaborates with more than 80 cabinetmaker workshops throughout Germany and other European countries to produce and deliver its customized furniture designs. This network allows the company to maintain a decentralized production model, aligning with its goal of reducing transportation distances and environmental impact.