My journey that shaped ViableThings

I’m Stefan van Cleef, an industrial design engineer and venture builder, with 15+ years of experience in shaping products, building companies, and guiding teams through the uncertainties of early innovation.

I’ve founded ventures, developed physical and digital products from first idea to market traction, raised funding, built IP portfolios, and worked closely with founders, engineers, designers, and makers. I’ve experienced both the momentum of an exit and the reality of failure.

Across all those journeys, one thing became clear:
Innovation succeeds when design and business move together, and when the team feels aligned, supported, and creatively engaged.

That belief shaped the work I do today.

I support teams and founders who want to build something new, a product, a proposition, or an entire venture, by combining design direction with sharp business thinking. My work is grounded in four pillars that help innovation move from idea to reality:

Innovation Facilitation
Creating clarity and momentum through structured ideation, opportunity framing and team alignment.

Venture & Proposition Design
Turning early ideas into testable concepts with direction, narrative and strategic grounding.

Product Team Guidance
Supporting teams as they navigate uncertainty, make decisions and build healthy collaboration.

Product Realization
Translating validated ideas into tangible prototypes and manufacturable solutions.

With a background in design and years of operating as a CPO/CEO, I bring both creative depth and business clarity. I’m not a consultant observing from a distance; I work alongside teams. Helping them create the conditions in which ideas evolve, decisions become clearer, and progress becomes possible.

My aim is simple: to help people build ambitious, meaningful innovation in a way that feels grounded, energising, and human.

If you’re exploring a new opportunity, shaping a product or building a venture, I’d be happy to help you move forward.