Who am I

I'm Leonardo Barbato, a product engineer with a focus on reduction, effectiveness, and quality in how people interact with physical products.

I work on physical products with strong aesthetic and functional value; objects that are meant to be beautiful, well made, and easy to manufacture.

I collaborate with designers, startups, and companies to turn ideas into real products, overseeing every step: from concept to the final technical drawings ready for production.

I partner with a trusted designer for the design phase. Everything else -development, prototyping, validation, and technical files- is my responsibility

My approach

I believe in design reduced to the essential, where every part has a clear role and nothing is wasted: not energy, not material.

My contribution is to find smart compromises between aesthetic and technical needs, without ever harming the end-user’s perception.

I don’t start from constraints: my work begins once the idea is shaped, to make sure technical limits don’t become creative ones.

Sustainability

To me, sustainability means effectiveness: fewer parts, fewer processes, less wasted energy. A well-engineered product saves resources, starting on paper.

Portfolio / Case studies

I’m currently working on projects covered by NDAs. In the past, I’ve worked in design consultancies on products for the furniture, consumer electronics and professional appliances.

If you’d like to know more or discuss your project, feel free to get in touch—I’d be happy to share more in a one-on-one conversation