Pilotfish at COMPUTEX 2025: A birthday, a vision, and a wheel of cheese
What were we doing at COMPUTEX?
Exploring what’s next and how to build it right.
At COMPUTEX 2025, Pilotfish didn’t just show up, we showed what matters. Our booth became a hub for conversations on the future of product design, where engineering precision meets creative intuition.
We hosted three keynote presentations that captured the core of what we do:
- UX/UI Excellence and Business Goals
with Kate Yu (Senior UI Designer) & Jean Lin (UX Design Lead)
– where design vision meets commercial impact, showing how great UX doesn’t just look good, it drives success. - Fast Concept to Production
with Marco Heusdens (Managing Director, Pilotfish Taiwan)
– a deep dive into our agile, cross-continental workflows and how we help clients go from idea to manufacturable product at speed. - AI Meets Humanity: Designing Devices That Evolve with Us
with Harm Hogenbirk (Co-Founder)
– a bold look into the role of AI in tomorrow’s product development and how human-centered design must stay… well, human.
Our goal? To open up meaningful dialogue about how to humanize technology, not only by adopting emerging tools like AI, but by staying grounded in the needs of users, clients, and society.
A heartfelt thank you to Marco Heusdens and the Pilotfish Taiwan team for making every detail of our presence shine. From the smooth logistics to the compelling presentations, it was their hard work and hospitality that made this COMPUTEX experience unforgettable.
What’s worth celebrating after 25 years?
We didn’t celebrate the number. We celebrated the journey.
The official anniversary celebration took place right at our booth - an unorthodox, but very Pilotfish way to mark the occasion. It opened with a heartfelt speech by Harm Hogenbirk, who reflected on our founding motto, "We humanize technology," and offered a vision of how AI can enrich, not replace, the human role in product development.
“Humanizing technology means applying the newest technologies to innovate for better service, better products, improved productivity—but also improving the quality of life for users and all stakeholders involved.”
— Harm Hogenbirk, Pilotfish Co-Founder
This phrase was the foundation Pilotfish has built its legacy on for 25 years. In an era of algorithms and acceleration, the focus stays on people. But the mic didn’t stop with Harm. A special guest took the stage next.
Why Taipei?
Because this is where two worlds meet.
As Matthijs van der Hoorn, Deputy Representative and Head of Economic Department at the Netherlands Office Taipei, reminded us in his opening remarks:
“This story of Pilotfish also shows the bridge between European innovation and Asian manufacturing power. And Taipei is the perfect place to celebrate that.”
Taipei was and still is a key chapter in our story. Celebrating here just made sense.
So... why was everyone talking about cheese?
Because it was the prize in the best product design quiz ever.
(And also because Harm smuggled it in directly from Amsterdam😄)
Quizmaster Matthijs had everyone laughing, competing, and learning as he took us through trivia about Pilotfish’s design history and the products that shaped our path. The winner? A wheel of proper old Dutch cheese. The real kind. The unforgettable kind.
What did it feel like?
Like coming home to a family reunion you didn’t know you missed.
The event brought together team members, clients, and partners who’ve been with us since the beginning alongside new collaborators helping us shape what’s next. It was one of those rare moments of connection where the past, present, and future feel equally alive.
What’s next?
Another 25 years.
Of creativity. Of courage. Of designing for people.
"Pilotfish is a journey of people who are developing and using their creative energy and skill sets to design for people.”
— Harm Hogenbirk
Thank you to everyone who joined us at COMPUTEX 2025, and to those who’ve been part of this journey over the last 25 years. Let's always remember that beyond the tech, beyond the tools, it’s people who make innovation matter!
Here’s to the next chapter in designing technology that serves humanity. 🥂
