Esteban Aranda
Esteban Aranda MartinezProduct Designer &
Innovation Strategist

Hi, I'm Esteban. I design products where people, technology and business meet.

A product design engineer turned innovation strategist — I blend engineering, human-centred design and commercial strategy to turn customer insight into products and experiences that actually launch.

See my projects ↓ LinkedIn ↗
Portrait of Esteban Aranda smiling, wearing a dark suit and white shirt against a warm beige wall
Based inMadrid, Spain
CurrentlyMSc CX & Innovation, IE
BackgroundProduct Design Engineering
StatusOpen to roles & projects
(About)01 / 07

About

Good products start with people. I bring an engineer's rigour, a designer's empathy and a commercial sense of what the market will actually value — so ideas don't just look right, they land.

01

Engineer's rigour

Mechatronics and product design engineering taught me how things are built — CAD, prototyping and manufacturing constraints.

02

Designer's empathy

User research, UX/UI and equity-centred design: from deaf-blind communication devices to shared-household apps.

03

Commercial sense

Negotiating with 100+ multinationals and reporting to boards taught me what customers pay for — and why.

(Story)

I started in Lima studying Mechatronics Engineering, then moved to London for Product Design Engineering at Brunel — designing assistive devices, toys with TOMY and tools with Sika.

Since then I've taken ideas from concept to launch in Belcorp's innovation team, redesigned digital tools for Peru's Ministry of Environment, and led commercial negotiations at Capital Center, a LEED Gold business complex.

Today I'm in Madrid completing a Master in Customer Experience & Innovation at IE Business School — connecting customer research, service design and strategy to build experiences that create value for people and companies alike.

(Projects)02 / 07

Projects

YumYap device on a kitchen counter with a smartphone docked showing a recipe

An AI-powered app and shared kitchen device that helps students generate, share and follow personalised recipes. Final-year major project at Brunel University London.

Product DesignUX UIBranding

The Problem

72% of 18–25 year-olds want to learn to cook, yet many abandon the habit after a single failed attempt. Recipe platforms overwhelm them with advertising and excess information, while cooking knowledge is passed between generations less and less.

The Process

Students were interviewed online and observed in a kitchen setting. The enclosure, electronics and app were developed in parallel across 17 prototypes. Parts were modelled in SolidWorks, and a finite element analysis (FEA) drop test in ANSYS informed the structural refinement of the design. Two final prototypes were built: an aesthetic model with working internal electronics and NFC pairing, and a deconstructed functional prototype exposing the full electronic architecture.

The Solution

A phone dock with an integrated speaker and display, paired with an app whose AI assistant plans recipes and guides the user by voice. Designed for injection-moulded ABS at a unit cost of £23.21 against a £75 retail price. Selected for presentation to industry professionals and the university at OXO Tower Wharf, London.

Grid of smartphones displaying the SeCo home security app screens

A home security app for shared households — control devices, user preferences and notifications, with a notification system designed to avoid information overload.

UX UI

The Problem

38% of people attribute feeling overloaded to the constant flow of information. In shared households, home security apps add to it, because every alert reaches every resident.

The Process

Stakeholders and information architecture were mapped before wireframes and an interactive prototype were built in Figma. The design draws on nudge theory, IBM's design principles and a human-data interaction framework. Six students evaluated it through heuristic evaluation and think-aloud testing over four iterations.

The Solution

A home security app that routes each alert to the residents who are available, based on their calendars, while keeping a complete shared history. Residents manage personal and shared devices, and decisions affecting the household require collective approval.

Rendered 3D car model created in SolidWorks and KeyShot

Design, development and evaluation of a 3D car model using SolidWorks and KeyShot 11.

CAD & CAE

The Brief

Design and model a car of choice from scratch using surface modelling, then evaluate and improve the design through simulation.

The Process

A Land Rover Defender was built in SolidWorks through surface modelling and rendered in KeyShot. The geometry was then simplified and meshed for a computational fluid dynamics (CFD) wind-tunnel simulation in ANSYS. A front splitter was added and the simulation repeated to compare both versions.

The Solution

A complete surface model built from a blank file, and a design revision validated by simulation: the splitter shifts high pressure away from the underbody, increasing downforce and grip.

Orbita concept: travel assistant interface held in two hands

Independent design concept for Meta's potential future product ecosystem. Meta AI assists with travel alerts, translations, seat finding, route optimisation and payments.

UX UIConcept

The Problem

Public transport is among the few spaces a city's residents share daily, yet 53% of London Underground passengers would rather skip the journey altogether. Meta's mission to connect people presented an opportunity to reposition the brand in that space.

The Process

Meta's brand, values and user base were analysed to define a product requirement specification. Options were explored through morphological analysis, developed into three concepts ranging from a ring-sized display to AR glasses, and evaluated in a Pugh matrix to converge on a final direction.

The Solution

Orbita, a personalised journey companion. Transport and payment cards are secured behind an in-screen fingerprint scanner, while Meta AI provides disruption alerts, translation, seat finding and route optimisation. Closed, it handles payments and audio or haptic guidance. Opened, a retractable screen displays directions.

Air Pump Sika Flex Gun with yellow palm-fitting handle next to a Sika cartridge

A tool for yacht workers that prevents RSI injuries: a palm-fitting handle and a pumping mechanism shift force to the arm, reducing wrist and finger strain.

Product DesignCAD & CAE

The Problem

Sunseeker's yacht builders operate sealant guns for hours each day, and repetitive strain injuries are common. In a survey of 47 maintenance workers, 60% cited body pain as their main problem with the tool and 85% reported pain in the wrists.

The Process

Research combined a visit to the Sunseeker factory, worker interviews, anthropometric data and ergonomic guidelines for hand tools. Trigger force was measured with a force gauge and the pressure required to extrude sealant was calculated. The handle was refined through four prototypes tested with gloves. The tool was then modelled in SolidWorks and prototyped with 3D-printed and lathe-turned parts.

The Solution

A sealant gun actuated by an air pump rather than a trigger, transferring effort from the fingers and wrist to the arm. An angled ergonomic grip supports the hand, and a body 12% shorter than the standard tool improves manoeuvrability in confined spaces.

Yummy Buddies gliding toy collectible with green wings in flight

Designed in collaboration with TOMY, this collectible toy line fosters a connection to the natural world. Its gliding mechanism introduces children to a novel play style.

Product DesignBranding

The Brief

TOMY's design brief called for a new toy concept for children aged five and over, built around a mechanical feature and a clear unique selling point, with no screens, apps or AI. Market research identified a gap in flying collectibles: the closest competitor retailed at £40, required charging and was widely reviewed as unreliable.

The Process

Three concepts were developed and flying vegetables selected. Modelled on the way seeds spin as they fall, the concept connects children with nature and invites curiosity and outdoor play. Development progressed from foam and acetate models to CAD and iterative 3D printing, until a stable, repeatable flight was achieved.

The Solution

A collectible line of five characters, each with distinct wings and flight path, that glides to the ground from any height without batteries. A full brand identity was created alongside it, including colour guidelines, packaging typography, the hero image and product renders.

RIMAY communication device with large tactile buttons

A device that helps low-income deaf-blind people in rural Peru communicate through text messages entered in Morse code.

Product DesignAccessibility

The Problem

Peru has an estimated 15 deaf-blind people per 100,000 inhabitants. In rural areas, app-based solutions are not viable: 14.7 million of the country's mobile lines operate without internet access.

The Process

Developed with UTEC. Mobile coverage data determined the choice of SMS as the communication channel. The circuit board was designed in EAGLE and the enclosure in Autodesk Inventor and Fusion 360, evolving through three prototypes from a box format to a wearable.

The Solution

A wristband that sends standard text messages entered in Morse code. Three modes cover power, contact selection and message entry, with haptic feedback confirming each action. Buttons are differentiated by shape for tactile recognition, and high-contrast colours support users with residual vision.

08

CURA

2026Curated Digital Space Coming soon
(Impact)03 / 07

Impact

01 · Capital Center
100+

Multinational clients

Relationships built in 2025, with a 12% acquisition rate.

02 · Capital Center
9,216m²

Office space leased

35% of total occupancy at a LEED Gold complex.

03 · Capital Center
70%

Above-market deals

Share of new tenants signed above market rental rates.

04 · Belcorp
20+

Products in the pipeline

Including 4 market-leading launches from concept.

(Experience)04 / 07

Experience

Real EstateClient Strategy

Commercial Real Estate Analyst, Capital Center

Jan 2025 – Sep 2026 · Lima

Premium 50,000+ m² corporate complex in Lima's financial district, LEED Gold certified.

  1. Built relationships with 100+ multinational companies, achieving a 12% client acquisition rate and leading negotiations with international tenants.
  2. Led leasing and tenant acquisition, securing 9,216 m² of office space — 35% of total occupancy.
  3. Captured 70% of new tenants above market rates, coordinating legal, operations and projects teams and delivering board-level KPI reporting.
ClientsLiberty MutualAB InBevLenovoScaniaMMGEmbassy of Austria
Public SectorDigital Products

System Development Assistant, Ministry of Environment of Peru

Aug 2024 – Jan 2025 · Lima

General Office of Information Technology (OGTI) — the team behind MINAM's digital services.

  1. Analysed 7 internal digital systems and documentation workflows, redesigning tools to improve usability and information accessibility.
  2. Built visual dashboards for leadership, cutting reporting time by 12% and supporting data-driven decisions.
  3. Structured and versioned 130+ technical documents in line with MINAM's software lifecycle standards.
Beauty & CosmeticsInnovation

Innovation Intern, Belcorp

Jan 2021 – Jun 2021 · Lima

Leading Latin American beauty company in 15+ countries — L'Bel, Ésika, Cyzone.

  1. Developed 4 market-leading products from concept to launch and implemented 20+ across the innovation pipeline.
  2. Worked in an Agile structure with chemists, production, marketing and supply-chain specialists.
  3. Presented market research, trend analysis and competitor benchmarking to senior leadership 6 times.
ProductsBotanologyNectarine Royale · Spa CollectionDelice
(Education)05 / 07

Education

2026 – Present

Master in Customer Experience & Innovation

IE Business School · Madrid

Customer research, business strategy and service design to build experiences that create value for customer and company.

2021 – 2024

BSc Product Design Engineering

Brunel University London

Second Class (Upper Division) Honours.

2022

Offsite Cohort 02

Online Design Programme

A real-world view of the design profession, taught by industry leaders.

2017 – 2020

Mechatronics Engineering

UTEC · Lima

Mechanical design, electronics and computational systems for automated products.

2016 – 2017

International Baccalaureate

Markham College · Lima

Mathematics HL, Physics HL, Art HL.

(Skills & Languages)06 / 07

Skills

Design

  • Product Design
  • Customer Experience
  • User & Market Research
  • UX / UI
  • Idea Generation
  • Concept Refinement
  • Equity-Centred Design
  • Branding & Identity

Software

  • Figma
  • Adobe Creative Suite
  • Framer
  • SolidWorks · Fusion 360
  • KeyShot · AutoCAD
  • Python · Power BI
  • Excel · SAP
  • Claude Code

Certifications

  • Human-Centered Systems ThinkingIDEO
  • Product DesignTU Delft
  • AI for EveryoneDeepLearning.AI
  • DesignerBrunel Design Society
  • TOEFL 105Advanced English
SpanishNative
EnglishAdvanced · TOEFL 105
ItalianIntermediate
(Contact)07 / 07

Let's talk

Hiring for customer experience, innovation or product roles — or have a project that needs design and strategy? I'd love to hear about it.

Email[email protected]
LinkedInin/esteban-am Instagram@esaranda.design