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Arghh. My voice is slowly coming back, but maybe the hoarseness actually fits PIRATE Summit quite well. A real pirate is supposed to sound a little rrrough after all.
No time for tiredness. On to PIRATE Summit. The home port Odonien welcomes straptic to this special event, and I am looking forward to conversations, new encounters, and more visibility for straptic in this unique setting.
straptic is now officially visible on the website as a partner of Jugendforum NRW.
This reflects a central idea behind the project. Technology does not need to be made inclusive only afterwards, it can be designed from the start to create more access. Through spatially coded haptic feedback, straptic carries exactly that potential, not only in terms of immersion and enjoyment, but also in terms of digital participation.
One of the most memorable moments for me at gamescom was Brandon’s visit, CEO of ByoWave and inventor of the Proteus Controller. Back in 2025, I had already visited their booth during the launch, spoke with the team, and said at the time that our two products could complement each other very well.
A year later, Brandon was sitting at my booth, trying straptic in combination with the Proteus Controller, and came to exactly the same conclusion. The fact that he not only took the time to stop by, but also tested the combination thoroughly and immediately saw its value, meant a lot to me.
straptic and the Proteus Controller complement each other in a way that holds a great deal of potential in the areas of accessibility and immersive gameplay. It was even more exciting that Brandon hinted at whether it might make sense to bring together certain experiences or resources in the future.
Whoop whoop, he is here.
I am absolutely exhausted, you can probably see it in the photo, but the joy about this visit was even stronger.
Shortly before his flight, Lior still took the time to stop by my booth despite his tight schedule. I wanted him to experience straptic for himself, understand the concept, and ideally become an internal ambassador for the project at Overwolf. He tried the tech demo, and I was also able to show him a Fortnite proof of concept that I developed as a whitelisted developer within the Overwolf ecosystem. Live game events from Fortnite were used to drive straptic in real time and add a haptic layer to the experience.
Halfway through gamescom, two days to go. If you want to stop by and are wondering where to find me, straptic is in Hall 10.1, Stand D20/E21.
What I can say so far is this, wow. I am still completely overwhelmed by the impressions, the conversations, and the energy people are bringing to the stand. So many positive reactions, smiling faces, and direct comments like: Why does this not exist yet, I want this, I would take this home right now. That shows me that straptic is being understood and is really connecting with people.
The prototypes are running stable and reliably, even under continuous use. At the same time, the days are long and the nights are short. After the first day of the fair, I spent the night building magnetic adapters to make the wristband size more adjustable for larger wrists. On the second night, I also worked on an implementation for a AAA game within the ecosystem of a third party provider who said they might stop by the stand. Let’s see if it happens. I will keep you posted.
The first day at gamescom was intense, exhausting, and at the same time an important moment for straptic. After a long period of preparation, it quickly became clear that the concept works and resonates with people.
The time travel setup with the Atari Lynx, retro corner, and popping candy worked especially well as a playful transition from past innovations to straptic. The feedback was consistently strong across all age groups and showed me that the project is understood and seen as relevant.
After an experimental quantitative study with 56 participants, straptic is already moving into its next phase.
Instead of being only buried in the evaluation, the project now continues at gamescom with the straptic research lab. There, I want to gather targeted qualitative feedback from players and from the market, make new contacts, and further strengthen awareness of the project’s relevance.
After speaking with Saskia Moes and Sven Radtke, it became clear that straptic is a strong fit for Gaming ohne Grenzen, the fjmk initiative for more diversity and inclusion in the gaming community. I am glad that straptic will be part of that space.
Thank you to everyone who took the time to test straptic as part of my bachelor thesis.
The support and valuable feedback meant a lot to me. The impressions, responses, and metrics collected not only strengthen the foundation of my work, but also directly feed into the next iterations of straptic. In the end, more than 50 people gave me something very valuable, their time.
I am very pleased that straptic is mentioned on Vidar Andersen's official alumni page.
I would like to thank him once again for the valuable input he gave me. It had a lasting impact on me and I am still benefiting from it. Thanks to his clear manner, I can now communicate my idea more clearly and precisely.
Thank you, Vidar!
Picture: michael bause
It's great how the Gateway TH Köln and the Makerspace not only offer students a space for their ideas, but also support them in believing in their own ideas and turning them into reality.
Or to put it in the words of Flint Lockwood from ‘Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs’: ‘See a need fill a need.’
I walk through the world with my eyes open, analysing processes and concepts and asking myself: Couldn't it be easier? Couldn't it be better? Can't it be done differently?
This is exactly what plays a central role in the Code & Context (TH Köln) study programme : learning new things, questioning existing ones, recognising a need and developing solutions.
Picture: OverTake
Many thanks to Christoph Kohlhaas for the invitation and to OverTake for the excellent organisation of the event.
I met so many exciting people from all areas of the gaming industry, from indie studios to established players. It was precisely this mix that made the event so special.
The atmosphere was great because people met without any preconceptions or barriers. We got talking straight away and that's what made the atmosphere so special.
I hope there will be more events like this, we need more of them. Thank you
Picture: michael bause
straptic at Start-up Day 2025
Between ideas and mocktails. The pictures speak for itself.
We had a great time at Gateway TH Köln's Start-up Day 2025.
I was able to join Lisa Mütsch from TillyBox and Robin Bayer from Detechgene on stage for the start-up talk.
It was an open, honest and inspiring conversation about ideas, doubts, perseverance and, of course, why we start up in the first place.
There was so much curiosity, courage and experimentation at the KickStart teams prototype exhibition, it was really motivating.
Whoop whoop!
straptic is taking part in the James Dyson Award!
With the motto "WANTED: PROBLEM SOLVERS"
the James Dyson Award is calling for ideas from around the world that solve real problems. That's exactly what appealed to me.
You can now view my entry online, which includes a really good video.
The award has international visibility, comes with prize money, and above all offers a great opportunity to showcase innovative ideas to the world.
Now it's time to keep your fingers crossed!
Picture: michael bause
straptic at the Startup Day of TH Köln
On June 5th, 2025, I will be at the Startup Day of TH Köln at the MakerSpace, invited to talk about straptic. I will share some insights into where the project currently stands and how the KickStart program at TH Köln helped me reach this point.
As part of the founder talk, I will be on the sofa with Lisa Mütsch (Tilly Box) and Robin Bayer (Detechgene). We will talk about our projects, how they have developed, and what the future might look like.
Afterwards, the current KickStart teams will present their projects at the MakerSpace. It is a great opportunity to see how the university supports innovation and early-stage ideas with space, technical infrastructure, mentoring, and financial support.
If you are interested in honest insights, early-stage concepts, and real conversations, feel free to stop by.
🗓 June 5th, 2025, 3 to 8 p.m.
📍 MakerSpace TH Köln, Campus Deutz
May I introduce?
The Gatebridge.
It opens and connects.
It does not demand, it invites.
For everyone. Without detours.
Ready to take the first step.
straptic® goes Gamescom 2025! 🎮
I’m beyond excited to finally share this: straptic will be part of Gamescom 2025. A dedicated space within the Jugendforum NRW has officially been confirmed.
I’ll be presenting the prototype through a custom-built game experience that lets visitors feel the impact of gameplay.
This is a major step for the project and a strong signal for innovation coming out of Cologne.
Huge thanks to the City of Cologne and Jugendforum NRW for making this possible.
Innovation made in Cologne. Soon to be experienced at Europe’s biggest gaming stage.
It will be tangible. It will be real. I can't wait to share it with you all!
Picture: Dustin Preick
Exciting news: I won 2nd place in the Product Level category at the Startup Your Ideas competition! This event was an incredible opportunity to take my project out of the development bubble and onto the stage.
Receiving this recognition means a lot and validates the progress made so far.
The prize money will go directly into the next phase of development, and I’m looking forward to sharing more about the upcoming milestones soon. A big thank you to everyone who has supported me on this journey!
Picture: Saskia Koll
Thank you to the University of Cologne's Gateway Excellence Start-up Center for the invitation to pitch training for the Startup Your Ideas Contest.
Shout out to Vidar Andersen for leading the session. His expertise and experience made the training invaluable.
Preparing for a pitch isn't just about presenting an idea; it's about refining the message, understanding the audience and communicating the vision behind a project. The session provided constructive feedback, strategic perspectives and new approaches to making an impact on stage.
A lettering can be more than just a name. It can tell you what something stands for. straptic combines clarity with dynamism, precision with flexibility. Hard edges meet soft transitions, like the experience itself: sometimes a clear impulse, other times a flowing pattern.
This balance is no coincidence. It reflects what characterises straptic a technique that does not get in the way, just eases access.
Another milestone: straptic has been selected as a finalist in the Startup Your Idea Contest in the “Product Level” category! On January 23, 2025, I will compete at the University of Cologne for a prize of up to €2,000. This recognition highlights the potential of straptic and motivates me to keep pushing the development forward.
I am proud of the journey so far.
From the first prototypes to the positive feedback at events like Gamescom. The support I’ve received from you and the gaming community drives me to continue perfecting straptic.
2025 will be an exciting year, and I look forward to shaping the future of gaming and immersive technology with you. Stay tuned the journey is just beginning!
From Wrist|ed to straptic: A step into the future.
Every great project begins with a working title .
A placeholder that captures the essence of the journey ahead. For me, that title was Wrist|ed. It represented the first steps of an idea born of passion, determination and countless hours of work.
But as my vision became clearer and the project matured, so did its identity. Today I'm delighted to announce that Wristed has evolved into straptic.
This name combines "strap" (the core of the wearable design) with "haptic" (the immersive technology that defines its mission).
This evolution is more than just a new name.
It marks a significant milestone in this journey.
straptic is now a registered European trademark, a symbol of my commitment to bringing cutting edge haptic technology to life.
This transition from a working title to a product name is more than a rebrand.
It's a step into the future.
I'm ready to embrace the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead, and I'm grateful to everyone who has supported this journey so far.
Gamescom2024 Snow Leaf Studios Picture: KS
I recently had the incredible opportunity to pitch my early prototype at Gamescom. Over the three days, I engaged in insightful discussions with various studios, hardware manufacturers, and service providers. The welcoming, collaborative, and innovation-driven atmosphere made it a truly unique experience.
I am grateful for all the positive feedback and the valuable connections made, which could pave the way for future partnerships and funding opportunities.
Iteration 3.0 Code and Context TH Köln Picture: Costa Belibasakis
Our annual exhibition ‘Iteration 3.0’ gave us students from the Code & Context bachelor's degree programme the opportunity to present our projects. This study programme teaches us how to identify needs, carry out market analyses, design products and create prototypes.
My project wrist|ed was developed as part of the ‘Immersive Impact’ course, where the initial approaches and my path to the prototype were developed. This exhibition allowed me to present my work and the creative process behind it to a audience.
Dutch Hour Extreme ifs Internationale Filmschule Köln Picture: KS
The Dutch Hour Extreme is initiated by the International Film School Cologne and brings together the three faculties Cologne Game Lab, ifs and Code & Context, which are located in close proximity to each other. This event serves to present the various degree programmes and projects and to promote an exchange between the students. It offers us the opportunity to get to know each other, gain insights into different specialisms and present our own projects in an interdisciplinary setting.
Start-up-Tag TH Köln 2024 Picture: Jonas Schild
I had the opportunity to present my project at TH Köln's Startup Day, which was held in the Makerspace. As part of the KickStart@TH Köln funding programme, I am being supported by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) for six months to drive forward the further development of my prototype. On this day, students from various faculties were able to see which projects are being funded and what the current status is. The projects were presented in various areas of the Makerspace, which aroused great interest among professors and students.
Official announcement by TH Köln about the KickStart@TH Köln funding program.
Whoop Whoop!
Selected by Kickstart TH Köln
I’m proud to share that straptic has been selected as one of the ten innovative projects supported by Kickstart TH Köln! This prestigious program provides early-stage startups with funding, mentorship, and resources to turn idmoneas into reality.
Developed during my studies in the Code & Context program at TH Köln, straptic combines haptic feedback with cutting-edge technology to deliver immersive and inclusive gaming experiences. This support from Kickstart TH Köln enables me to further refine the project and bring it closer to market readiness.
A heartfelt thank you to the Kickstart TH Köln program and the Federal Ministry of Education and Research for their invaluable support. With this support, I’m excited to continue pushing the boundaries of gaming and immersive tech.
Stay tuned for updates on straptic’s journey through the Kickstart program and beyond!
Wrist|ed Invited to Pitch at Kickstart TH Köln
I’m thrilled to announce that straptic has been invited to pitch at the Kickstart program of TH Köln! Huge thanks to my mentor Jonas Schild and the Code & Context program for their support on this journey. I’m excited about this opportunity!
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