I started New Icons Design back in 2014—not because I was a product designer, but because I had developed a deep passion for design and innovation. My background is rooted in art and design, and later evolved into media and filmmaking. But as a creative, my intellectual curiosity got the better of me, and I found myself drawn to the realm of ideas—particularly product design and the challenge of developing original concepts for the masses.

I began experimenting, sketching, and soon enough, I had the bug. I found myself creating my own concepts and testing my creative mettle against the industry's best. When I decided to take the process seriously, I knew I had to collaborate with people embedded in the field to bring my ideas to life. To my surprise, I found several willing collaborators—seasoned professionals in design and engineering—who appreciated the ingenuity of the ideas and offered their expertise to help develop them to maturity.

This journey often led to pitching on innovation platforms, notably with Philips and Procter & Gamble. It was thrilling to see my ideas taken seriously and explored in real depth.

Today, I’m still developing products and ideas—but early on, I decided New Icons wouldn't just be about design and experimentation. It would rise to meet the major market and social challenges of our time. I see New Icons as a creative think tank—exploring everything from retail to tech, identifying gaps, developing and testing solutions, and always asking how things could be done differently.

I don’t apologize for being an outsider—that’s my superpower. It’s why I coined the phrase Innovation Upstarts. We live in a time of great change, and I want to be part of it.

Patrick Astwood

Founder, New Icons Design