How Kickr Design Helped Make48 Teams Turn Ideas into Reality at SkillsUSA
When the clock begins to tick at Make48, the energy shifts; teams move from nervous anticipation to racehorses, hitting it into high gear.
At SkillsUSA, the student teams were ready to build. But turning an idea into a prototype, under a ticking clock, requires the right expertise in your corner. That is where Kickr Design stepped in. The trio featured Ben Gould (Principal Designer), Kylie Early (Industrial Designer + Sourcing Specialist), and Tyler Fox (Prototype and Production Manager).
Engineering Meets Real-Time Mentorship
Kickr Design isn't just another product development shop. As a full-service design and engineering firm, they specialize in guiding concepts from napkin (brainstorming) sketches all the way through sophisticated prototype development. Their day-to-day consulting work spans an impressive range, collaborating with independent entrepreneurs launching their first venture to industry leaders requiring heavy-hitting engineering support.
On the Make48 floor, their role took on another angle. Stepping in as tool techs and mentors, the Kickr crew worked side-by-side with the participants to solve complex design challenges on the fly. From types of fabrication to strategic ideation, they helped teams troubleshoot failure points before they materialized later down the road.
The environment is intense, but as the Kickr Design team observed firsthand, that pressure is what makes the experience so transformative. Ben Gould, “...the competition is really inspiring. You're being asked to do something in a matter of time. And with that pressure, you’re being put under a microscope in order to make sure that you’re working through and thinking through everything. Even if you don’t know everything right off the bat, you have people around you who are willing to sit with you and make sure that it’s happening. So that’s really nice to see.”
That community of support defines the events. When teams hit a roadblock, Kickr Design provided the guidance needed to pivot quickly without losing momentum.
Bringing Ideas to Life
Events like Make48 demonstrate what happens when young talent gets access to the tools and mentors needed for success. With Kickr Design on the floor, teams didn’t just walk away with finished work; they gained insight into how professional engineers navigate problems and discovered the power of collaborative problem-solving.
Build with confidence and visit https://www.kickrdesign.com/ to learn more.
