When both the paths and ideologies of Black and White Design Limited and the HotHatch converged, the sheer array of business opportunities and creativity multipled with kaleidoscopic results. Currently the team are preparing for a possible exhibition in New York next year for ICFF, one of furniture design’s most prestigious institutions.

Streamlined and efficient with a team of three, the company’s true strength lies just not in the absolute quality of their output, but in their uncontaminated originality and uniqueness, not to mention the very exclusivity of design.

“We are not trying to compete with the IKEAs of the world,” says Rakib Miah, designer for Black and White Design Limited and UEL graduate, who also participated previously in Knowledge Dock’s STEP programme.

“We want to create beautiful and unique pieces rather than mass-manufactured artefacts. We endeavour to make every one of our pieces with the utmost quality, flowing with the most unique of ideas, to the point that each design would only bear a quantity of one hundred for example.”

Black and White Design Limited always had their quality of products covered from the outset, but what they needed was support in making the right business decisions to make their ambitions commercially viable.

“First and foremost we are designers and not businessmen, having all graduated from UEL in Project Design. Knowledge Dock really taught us how to run a business, showing us the sides that we didn’t know about. When you just want to work on your design project and not worry about the business side of things, the HotHatch’s support is exactly what fills the gap. When it comes to business plans and queries, we always have somebody to talk to.

“Knowledge Dock helped and sponsored us from one of our very first designer shows, which was a great success, with encouraging feedback from many people – now everybody wants to buy our stuff as soon as it’s ready to be made. Our current goal is to secure the funds from prospective investors to meet the costs of manufacturing, so that we can in turn meet the demand for our products.

“Our prototypes and designs are improving everyday, and through the HotHatch we stay posted with funding opportunities. Knowledge Dock gives us the professional edge that makes all the difference.”