Eindhoven. Image: © zigres/Stock.adobe.com
VanBerlo’s team will join the arm of Accenture’s business that uses digital technologies to improve how companies design, engineer and manufacture products and services.
Today (19 February), Accenture announced that it has acquired VanBerlo, a product design and innovation agency headquartered in Eindhoven, Netherlands. Terms of the deal were not disclosed.
Accenture said that the deal will strengthen its capabilities to help clients benefit from the merging of physical products and digital services.
Founded in 1982, VanBerlo has won more than 150 awards from iF, Red Dot and Good Design. The company was named as the Netherlands’ most innovative company by Dutch broadcaster AvroTros and Erasmus University in 2017.
VanBerlo
With 90 employees, spread between offices in The Hague and Eindhoven, VanBerlo specialises in innovation consultancy, product design and development, UX, interaction design, engineering, product realisation, brand identity creation and brand strategy, among other digital verticals.
VanBerlo has worked with companies such as Dettol, Gutmann and Damen Shipyards, as well as technology companies. While working with wearables firm House of Haptics, the agency helped to design an IoT bracelet for couples in long-distance relationships, and while working with SITA, it helped to design a baggage drop-off system for self-service airport check in.
VanBerlo has also worked with tech companies such as electric vehicle charging business EVBox and semiconductor manufacturer Nexperia.
Joining Accenture
In a statement, Accenture said that VanBerlo’s team of 90, with “deep experience” in innovation and product strategy, will join the Accenture Industry X.0 arm, which uses digital technologies to improve how companies design, engineer and manufacture products and services, and operate industrial facilities.
Frank Rennings, managing director and Accenture digital lead in the Netherlands, said: “The number of smart connected products is increasing rapidly and the speed of digitisation is challenging our clients’ design and development processes.
“Both call for a new approach to innovation. Bringing VanBerlo’s creative team into our Industry X.0 practice will enable us to help our clients develop new business models and general new revenues from smart connected products and services.”
Thomas Paulen, CEO of VanBerlo, added: “Our multidisciplinary team is passionate about creating forward-looking solutions that meet humans’ needs and generate growth for clients. We are looking forward to joining Accenture Industry X.0 and driving innovation for global clients.”
Accenture said that the acquisition of VanBerlo will complement the company’s acquisition of innovation agency Happen in October 2019, which has a team in Amsterdam.
