Matt Chin, Principal

After RISD Matt came to NYC, designing product for a diverse clientele and a handful of local industrial design firms before joining Pollen Design as Design Director in 2010.

There, he managed the award-winning firm’s client projects and led a multidisciplinary team providing holistic branding, design, product development, manufacturing, e-tail, and marketing support services for Prepara kitchen tools. 

Matt has a combination of tenacity for technical and IP challenges, and a design sensitivity attuned to luxury and lifestyle brands. Matt has travelled in two dozen countries, absorbing polyglot culture and perspectives. Lately he's often found at The Shop, a communal motorcycle garage and workshop he founded in Brooklyn.                 

Gaz Brown, Principal

As Head Of Product at Quirky, Inc., Gaz led the design and manufacturing teams. He was instrumental in developing the design process, growing the design department and heading liaison with Quirky’s manufacturing partners.

Previous to Quirky, he racked up more than a decade of experience launching new brands and helping existing ones with compelling industrial design. While Lead Designer at Pollen Design, Gaz was a key part of the team that developed Prepara Chef’s Tools, the prominent boutique kitchenwares brand. 

Gaz has won a number of awards over the years, including those from Red Dot, Good Design and CES Innovations. He loves family life, illustration of all kinds and hopes one day to release a series of children's books.

Stephen Kaes, Senior Industrial Designer

As a designer, Stephen is involved in all phases of product development, from initial concept generation to production. He brings a versatile skill set and a user-centered approach to create products that are equally beautiful and usable. 

Before joining Impel, Stephen graduated from The Ohio State University with a degree in Industrial Design and a minor in Photography. Go Buckeyes!

Tim Elliot, Design Engineer

After graduating from Washington University in St. Louis with a degree in Mechanical Engineering and a minor in Art, Tim worked as a design engineer in Silicon Valley. There he helped big brands and startups quickly solve their technical design challenges.

Tim specializes in Design For Manufacturing and loves to find elegant, cost-effective solutions to complex design problems. He believes that the best products are a result of design and engineering working together.