General CV

David Ramírez Corredor

Product Designer · Mechanical Engineer · Design–Engineering Founder

I design the systems behind the products—the materials, behaviors, and decisions that make them feel inevitable. My work lives where engineering becomes form and storytelling becomes function. Through Schematica, the design–engineering lab I founded, I turn research in soft robotics, material behavior, and human experience into ventures like FORMA and Orbe, each built with intention, coherence, and craft. I bring an interdisciplinary lens that unites design, engineering, and strategy to create solutions that are technically grounded, emotionally resonant, and ready to scale.

Core Capabilities

Engineering & Material Intelligence

  • Rigid, hyperelastic, laminar, and natural material systems
  • CAD modeling · Parametric design
  • FEM analysis · Mechanical simulation · Stress–strain evaluation
  • Design of experiments · Material testing · Manufacturing feasibility
  • Soft robotics · Compliant mechanisms · Structural optimization

Design & Experience Craft

  • Product systems design · Form–function coherence
  • UX/HRI research · Prototyping for user behavior and validation
  • Biomimicry and nature-driven conceptual development
  • Generative design · Analog and digital fast prototyping
  • Visual storytelling · Art direction · Experience design

Strategy & Systems Thinking

  • Early-stage product definition · Opportunity framing
  • Portfolio and value-architecture development (e.g., FORMA, Orbe)
  • Integrated sustainability evaluation (technical + environmental + market)
  • Business model strategy · Competitive benchmarking
  • Cross-disciplinary project leadership and communication

Approach to Challenges

I design products by balancing imagination, engineering precision, and business viability. My approach ensures that projects are not only creatively unrestricted but also technically and commercially feasible from the start. This process has enabled me to develop innovative consumer products, biomimetic packaging, and robotic soft goods solutions that integrate sustainability and user experience seamlessly.

Unlike traditional linear approaches, my process is adaptive—it doesn’t assume that every project follows the same path. Instead of refining all aspects at once, I prioritize solving the biggest uncertainty first—whether it’s technical feasibility, user experience, or scalability.

Every project follows these five integrated stages:

  1. Strategic Discovery → Looking beyond obvious problems to uncover opportunities in materials, structures, and business models.
  2. Imagination-First Concept Development → Exploring ideas freely while ensuring at least one feasible path exists.
  3. Challenge Prioritization → Identifying the riskiest unknown and solving it before committing to full refinement.
  4. Adaptive Prototyping → Testing what matters most first—whether it’s mechanics, usability, or market demand.
  5. Refinement & Realization → Transitioning from concept to scalable impact while keeping the core vision intact.

This framework allows me to de-risk projects early, prevent wasted effort on unnecessary refinements, and ensure that every design decision contributes to both functionality and market success. It has been applied across physical products, digital experiences, and research-driven projects, ensuring adaptability across disciplines.

Work Experience

Schematica
,
Design–Engineering Lab for Sustainable Systems & Strategic Innovation
 —
Founder & Chief Designer
2021
 -
2027
Present

Founded Schematica as my design–engineering practice to connect material research, product development, and strategic thinking in a single workflow. I use Schematica as the structure behind projects like FORMA, Orbe, EduAcoustics, and Fabrica—treating them as experiments in how engineering, design, and business can be developed together rather than in separate tracks.

  • Develop a 5-stage design–engineering process that I apply across my own projects to align material behavior, feasibility, user insight, and business logic from the earliest stages.
  • Organize my work into three internal “modes”—Lab (experimental research), Applied (ventures and collaborations), and Framework (tools and methods)—to make sure each project produces both outcomes and reusable knowledge.
  • Create visual blueprints, canvases, and early evaluation templates that help me and my collaborators compare options using technical, sustainability, and market criteria instead of intuition alone.
  • Coordinate small, project-based teams of freelance designers, developers, and content creators under a shared design–engineering direction.
Orbe
,
Applied Venture of Schematica
 —
Co-Founder, Product & Experience Designer
2025
 -
2026
Present

Co-founded Orbe, a premium artisanal cookie venture built through narrative-driven product development and experiential branding. Led the strategic and creative direction of the brand—from flavor architecture and sensory design to storytelling systems and market differentiation. Worked alongside my co-founder, who executed the baking craft, while I shaped Orbe’s product strategy, business logic, and customer experience.

  • Design Orbe as a coherent experience ecosystem using Schematica’s strategic design tools, integrating product development, brand identity, and service design.
  • Develop the core product system: flavor development, texture tuning, naming, and portfolio strategy anchored in travel-inspired narratives.
  • Create signature experiential mechanisms such as the cookie passport, collectible destination stamps, and OrbeMillas loyalty program to increase CLV through retention and differentiation.
  • Direct digital strategy and content architecture, leveraging Schematica’s freelance collaborators for visual identity and social media execution.
  • Design the spatial layout and operational workflows for the 20 m² kitchen–retail hybrid space to ensure consistency, scalability, and a polished customer journey.
  • Regularly operate the retail counter to gather firsthand user insights that directly informed adjustments in product fit, storytelling, and repeat-purchase strategy.
FORMA
,
Applied Venture of Schematica
 —
Co-Founder & Product Design Lead
2024
 -
2025
Present

Co-founded an emerging venture turning soft-robotics mannequin research into an adaptive display system for more inclusive fashion retail. I lead product definition and material strategy while shaping the early path to commercialization.

  • Define the value proposition and system architecture for a shape-shifting mannequin that adapts to diverse body types through controlled hyperelastic deformation.
  • Align engineering feasibility, user needs, and retail constraints when selecting initial use cases and target markets.
  • Translate prior soft-robotics experiments into manufacturable elastomer components and a scalable product system.
  • Plan and run prototyping cycles across mechanical behavior, material performance, and user interaction.
  • Build early venture credibility through a peer-reviewed IEEE ARSO 2025 publication and institutional coverage of the project.
  • Hold exploratory conversations with designers, retailers, and fashion-tech stakeholders to understand adoption barriers and inform pilot concepts.
Universidad de Los Andes
,
Deanʼs Office for Student Affairs & Law School
 —
Product & Systems Designer
2021
 -
2024
Present
  • Designed the NoEstasSolx wellness app, increasing faculty-student counseling interactions by 250% per semester.
  • Developed workflow and management platforms for the Engineering PhD program and the Law School (HTML5 + JS + PY / WP + JS + PHP), restructuring 25+ academic and administrative processes and significantly reducing manual workload.
  • Led UX/UI and service design efforts to improve information architecture, clarify responsibilities, and reduce knowledge loss during role transitions.
  • Created research-driven visual and communication assets to improve engagement with wellbeing resources and academic services.
BioDis Latam
,
 —
Teacher
2023
 -
2024
Present
  • Accompanied 4+ interdisciplinary cohorts (undergraduate and graduate) to research and develop nature-inspired solutions using biomimicry, improving student innovation and problem-solving skills.
  • Delivered lectures on biomimicry, CAD design, and soft robotics, enhancing students' practical design methodologies.
Universidad de los Andes
,
School of Engineering
 —
Scientific Photographer & Teaching Assistant
2020
 -
2023
Present
  • Produced visual material for Mechanical Engineering outreach and course promotion.
  • Supported introductory programming and statistics courses as a teaching assistant, helping students strengthen problem-solving and analytical skills.

Awards, Talks & Publications

IEEE ARSO 2025 (Osaka, Japan)
,
 —
Peer-Reviewed Publication & Oral Presentation
July 2025

“A Shape-Shifting Mannequin for Enhanced Retail Experience”
Presented FORMA’s soft-robotics research at the IEEE International Conference on Advanced Robotics and its Social Impacts (ARSO). Work explores hyperelastic deformation, compliant structures, and inclusive fashion-tech applications.
Co-authors: Alejandro Cante-Muñoz, Jonathan Camargo.
DOI: 10.1109/ARSO64737.2025.11124994

Universidad de los Andes (2025)
,
 —
Annual Design Capstone Exhibition
November 2025

The project “No es el cuero, es el modelo”—a systemic design and business innovation study for premium leather footwear—was selected as one of the top design capstones of the year and exhibited in the annual school showcase.

Universidad de los Andes Newsletter (2025)
,
 —
Institutional Feature
July 2025

FORMA’s mannequin research featured by the School of Engineering for its contribution to soft robotics, material-driven design, and inclusive product innovation in an interdisciplinary setting.

Education

Aalto University
,
Aalto Design Factory
 —
Entrepreneurship & Product Design and Development
August 2024
 -
May 2025
Present
  • Focus: Product Development, Product Sustainability, Wood Engineering, and Business Strategy.
Universidad de los Andes
,
 —
BA in Design
August 2019
 -
May 2025
Present
  • Focus: User-Centered design, Design Thinking, Opportunity identification, User testing.
  • Capstone project: "No es el cuero, es el modelo" - developed a systemic design and business model for premium leather footwear in stagnant markets.
Universidad de los Andes
,
 —
BS in Mechanical Engineering
August 2018
 -
December 2024
Present
  • Focus: Product Development, Mechanics of Materials, Manufacturing Processes, Bio-inspired Design, CAD Design, and Engineering Simulation.
  • Capstone project: "Mechanical Compliance for Product Design" - engineered a 3D-printed compliant detachable pan handle that replaces hinges and springs with elastic deformation for compact living spaces.
Pontificia Universidad Javeriana
,
 —
Industrial Design
January 2018
 -
June 2018
Present
  • Focus: Industrial design sketching and representation
New York University
,
 —
Engineering and Design
May 2017
 -
September 2017
Present
  • Focus: Practical engineering, laboratory testing, and digital product design.
Excited to explore opportunities in Physical and Digital Product Design, Business Strategy, Education and Scientific Outreach.
Let’s collaborate on the future of sustainable, human-centered design.
I’d love to explore how my work aligns with your vision.