Time to say cheers
From day one, FROLIC studio was more than just a studio — it was a place where creativity met purpose, where visions for a better future took shape.
After more than a decade, it’s time to close the studio’s doors. At least in this current form. As we bid farewell to an inspiring workspace and wonderful colleagues, we’re filled with both nostalgia and excitement for what the future holds.
highlights & studio tour
Our Journey Begins
In 2012, Ruben van der Vleuten and Andrew Spitz crossed paths at the Copenhagen Institute of Interaction Design, bonding over a shared love for product design, interaction design, and technology. Our collaboration led us to Amsterdam, where FROLIC studio was born.
Why the name? It’s a mix of the Dutch word ‘vrolijk’, meaning to be cheerful, and the English ‘to frolic’, which encompassed our ethos of being playful, prototyping and generally approaching our work from a hands-on and quirky way.
The day FROLIC studio became official, one morning at the notary
Vision and Impact
Our mission was clear: to design products that not only solved problems in a delightful way but did so with a deep care for the planet and its people.
Achieving B Corp certification was a testament to our commitment, a proud moment that underscored our dedication to social and environmental responsibility.
A Culture of Innovation
FROLIC studio was built on the belief that innovation thrives in a supportive, hands-on environment. Our studio was a playground for ideas, where prototyping and experimentation were the norms. We always valued both sides of the brain, engineering and design, logic and empathy, and feasibility with dreaming big.
Through initiatives like the "Better You Program," we nurtured a culture that valued personal growth and social responsibility. Our pro-bono “Better Planet Experiments” allowed us to extend our resources and build expertise around social and environmental topics for those who couldn’t afford our services.
Recognition and Legacy
We had the privilege to work on more than 150 products and projects, with close to 100 organisations. From Google to IKEA to Philips. From startups to scale-ups to NGOs uncovering some of the horrific human rights violations on our planet. From Ministries to local municipalities to working alongside the United Nations.
We’ve been part of shaping technology from the early days of Bluetooth Low Energy to the most innovative haptic engines and feedback systems. We produced and launched products in many parts of the world. We found ourselves in respected books and publications, obtained patents for some of the most renowned brands, won many awards including the coveted Red Dot Best of the Best, spoke at countless events, ran workshops all around the world, and been part of workgroups shaping the future of industries. We’ve launched research pieces and shared tools and knowledge with those who wanted to join us as we learned.
When in the middle of it all, it’s hard to take it all in, but looking back now, it’s been a journey we feel proud to have taken part in.
Closing Thoughts
We're overwhelmed with gratitude for the memories, the challenges, and the successes. We've left our modest mark on the world, and as we look to the future, we're excited about the new paths we'll each explore. As we close this chapter, a little reminder to ourselves that we have agency on what products are being created, how they are made, and the systems they take part in.
Thank you to you all for being an integral part of our story. And a special thank you to all our clients, partners, and team members who gave trust in collaborating. It has been a dream to be able to work with some of the most innovative companies and daring organisations where we got to push the boundaries of products, our interactions with them and the consideration for the impact they place on our planet.
FROLIC studio
2013-2024
Let’s keep in touch,