Looking Back at 2025, Building Towards 2026

2025 brought change in many forms: a new home with centuries of history, the arrival of our third son, and the evolution of ventures that moved from ideas into tangible reality. Together, these moments reinforced a way of thinking that increasingly guides how I live and work.

This is a reflection on that year, and a look ahead at what we are building towards in 2026.

A House with History

In April 2025, we moved into our home. A house built in 1669, carrying more history than any modern building ever could. Renovating it into a comfortable family home was both a challenge and a privilege. We worked carefully to respect its character while adapting it to how we live today.

Living in a house that has stood for more than three centuries changes your sense of time. It encourages patience, long-term thinking, and humility. Values that increasingly guide how I approach both life and work.

Family Comes First

In June, our third son, Ang, was born. His arrival added a new rhythm to our lives and reinforced something I already knew but sometimes forget in busy periods. The most important work happens at home.

Becoming a parent again brings clarity. It forces you to focus on what truly matters and to build a life and career that is sustainable. This perspective influences every decision I make as a designer and entrepreneur.

From ZÆT to VerseBikes

Professionally, 2025 was a year of evolution. A venture that originated within ZÆT gradually took on its own identity and became VerseBikes. What started as an internal direction grew into a focused company developing and producing mobility products for Cycling as a Service operators.

This transition was about clarity. About creating a structure that allows us to serve operators better, build more robust products, and take responsibility for the full lifecycle of what we put into the world.

Seeing VerseBikes move from concept into production has been one of the most rewarding milestones of the year.

Registering CY:ONS and Finalizing Our First Platform

Another important moment in 2025 was the official registration of CY:ONS B.V., together with my business partners. What makes this venture special is the shared mindset. We are aligned in ambition, but also in patience and respect for the complexity of building meaningful products.

This year, we finalized our first e-bike platform. Months of thinking, designing, and discussion came together into something tangible. A platform designed to be adaptable, scalable, and future-facing.

Looking Ahead to 2026

If 2025 was about laying foundations, then 2026 is about building responsibly on top of them.

Our primary focus will be on strengthening the businesses we already run. That means delivering for our existing clients, improving product quality, refining operations, and raising the funding needed to scale in a healthy and sustainable way.

At the same time, 2026 may also be a year where new ventures emerge from projects that have been quietly developing in the background. Shaped by experience, informed by real-world problems, and driven by a desire to improve everyday life through better mobility and better design.

Any new venture we launch will follow the same principles: practicality, long-term value, and impact that can be felt in daily life.

Closing Thoughts

I look back at 2025 with gratitude. For family, for progress, and for the chance to keep building things that matter.

As we move into 2026, I’m excited to continue building carefully, thoughtfully, and with purpose.