Innovators & award winners: Meet the three RMIT mates celebrating 30 years in business together

RMIT’s Bachelor of Design (Industrial Design) brought Steve Martinuzzo, Jack Magree and Warwick Brown together in the 80s and today they are still going strong as mates and business partners.

Their company, Cobalt Design, is an industrial design and engineering studio specialising in product design and engineering services. Founded in 1996, the business has completed more than 1200 projects, won 75 awards and currently employs 23 people.

Innovating fires up inspiration

Accolades aside, perhaps the best part of the work lies in the variety of problems the team solves with innovative solutions. They have put their brains into everything from booze buses to backpacks, footy boots to fitness equipment.

According to Steve, this range of work has always been a solid motivator for camaraderie and winning results.

“The bigger aspect is that we are solving problems, making a small, and positive mark on the world by making things easier, quicker, cheaper or less painful for people in their lives,” he said.

“Within a consulting and team-based environment there is always a sense of being part of something bigger than what we could ever accomplish individually.

Left: Jack Magree, Middle: Steve Martinuzzo, Right: Warwick Brown

“All these things add up to constant variety, teamwork, challenge and regular closures. I’ve often said I am lucky to be paid for what I love doing.”

Of all their designs, the KeepCup is probably the most well-known and highly used. Cobalt Design has worked with the founders of the brand, siblings Abigail and Jamie Forsyth, since its start-up days in the early 2000s until 2023, designing the original and glass models, stainless steel and thermal cups, and the helix cups and bottles.

Meeting at uni a pivotal time

RMIT was where Steve, Warwick and Jack all met, although Jack started the Bachelor of Design (Industrial Design) a year earlier than Steve and Warwick. The trio quickly found they had a lot in common and some differences too.

“We were all very hands-on,” recalled Steve. “None of us were drawn to design as an abstract or artistic thing - we liked making things, pulling products apart, and understanding how they worked. Then trying to make them better. It turns out this meant we all loved design.

“I was a westie, Jack and Warwick were both easterners, so RMIT was neutral ground. A place where it didn’t matter where you’d come from, it was about where we were all heading to.”

After graduating, Steve went on to work at product development firm Invetech, Jack moved to Westwood Design Group and Warwick worked for Camatic Seating. Frustrated with being passed over for promotion, Steve approached Jack with the idea of setting up their own industrial design studio.

Cobalt Design launched in 1996 and five years later, Warwick joined the fold.

“I knew Steve and Jack from RMIT and having had Cobalt assist on a few Camatic projects, I was very comfortable with their working style and professionalism,” Warwick said.

“So, when Jack called to talk about expanding Cobalt in 2001, I was ready. The three of us have ended up being quite complementary - Jack with his hands-on design instinct and ability to bring people together, my practical experience and technical curiosity and Steve tending more toward strategy, clients and the systems of business itself.”

Achieving recognition

Over the past 30 years, Cobalt Design has racked up an astounding number of accolades and grown to become one of Australia’s leading product design consultancies.

The recognition includes two Victorian Premier’s Design Awards, the Sir William Hudson Award, numerous Good Design Awards including the 2024 Design Team of the Year Award and multiple international Red Dot and iF Awards.

“Being named Australian Good Design Team of the Year in 2024 was nice external recognition of something we had always valued internally - that good design is ultimately a team pursuit,” said Steve.

“I am proud of many of the products, particularly the ones that have made a tangible difference in healthcare, science, transport and everyday life, but probably more proud of the people and culture around them. We have seen graduates become senior practitioners and leaders, long-term clients come back with generation after generation of products, and Australian design expertise exported into international programs.”

In their 30 years together, the trio behind Cobalt Design have worked hard to grow a successful business while also keeping their friendships intact and flourishing.

It doesn’t always mean they’ve seen eye-to-eye, but they credit their different perspectives for giving their business the edge it needs.

“We have had plenty of robust differences over the years, but the underlying assumption has been that everyone is trying to get to the best answer for Cobalt rather than pursuing individual agendas,” Steve said.

“Our roles have also changed enormously over time, so giving each other room to evolve and contribute to our strengths has mattered as much as anything.”

The success of this trio and Cobalt Design is more than a demonstration of their individual skills and creativity; it is a testament to their enduring and honest relationship.

Story: Kate Jones

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