Three worlds colliding.

Three people with their own skills

and experience.

One thing in common.

The passion to create a fairer world. 

This is why we founded co/rizom.​​

We started in 2018 as a spin-off

from an ERSTE Foundation social development program

that transformed the Romanian social enterprise 

Mesteshukar Butiq into a global player, supplying IKEA

with four handmade limited-edition collections.

In our first four years we engaged

47 artisans

from 11 communities

across eight countries,

delivering a digital roadmap to develop successful collections. We currently work with artisans in Albania, Austria, Bosnia Herzegovina, Georgia, Hungary, Nigeria, Romania and Uzbekistan.

​

explaining the digital tool © pauline thurn und taxis 

on the road for co/rizom © pauline thurn und taxis 

on the road for co/rizom © pauline thurn und taxis 

Our driving force(s)

​

Nadja Zerunian. creative dynamo

I’m mostly a hustler, convincing people to work with us, I’m also developing the co/rizom roadmap and the  collections for three Pods. I have a passion for craft, and collaborated with many artisans early in my career. When I returned to the craft world I realized the stress of survival that so many artisans face. I recognized I could make a difference with my learnings from the corporate world.

Interaction with makers and seeing an object ‘materialize’ galvanizes my commitment to our work. And the fact I can have an impact and enable artisans to get recognition for their craft @ the most important design events, from Homo Faber to Design Miami/Basel or 5vie in Milan. They will finally be where they belong. Even a couple of years ago, this seemed an impossible mission. I love when what we do suddenly makes sense.

​

Alina Serban. 

Working with artisans and supporting them to make a living inspires me every day. Through our work we can bring craft to another level, making it accessible for anyone who wants to develop their skills, no matter where they are.

I’m the one who spends most time in front of the laptop, working with paper and colors and making lists and checks. I’m very proud of my two co-founders. We complement each other and have immense fun working hard and driving each other forward.

Andrei Georgescu.  enterprise development

​

​

I focus on business development for Pods working with wood, textiles and silver, as well as developing the co/rizom process and translating it into an easy-to-use  digital platform. I also lead on distributing collections to market.

I’ve been in the shoes of our Pod members, trying to develop products with artisans, and I know how little support there is and how frustrating it can be for artisans to work with no structure. Co/rizom was created to cover the gap between artisans and modern retail. I’ve seen first-hand how this can change a community, and I’m determined to recreate that on a global scale.

​

We have incredible friends

​

​

​

​

We have pioneering collaborations with non-profit organizations, foundations, design shows, curators, online retailers, and publications around the world.

• ERSTE Foundation

• Powered by People

• Vienna Design Week

• Vienna Business Agency

• Ground Truth Solutions

• Romanian Design Week

• Romanian Cultural Institute

• Xtant

• Passa ao Futuro

• ​

We are irresistible

​

advisory board Lady Malloch-Brown, Lilli Hollein, Nicole Traxler, Marianne Schloegl, Andre Wilkens, Franz Prueller  /  artisans  Achenyo Idachaba-Obaro & Mitimeth, Ana Florea & the Zestrea team / Eva & Victor Clopotar, Nebije Qotai, Martin & Wolfgang Hufnagl, Nermina Alic, Terézia Eperjesi & the AMC team, Zaza Gatenashvili   /  creatives   Aldo Bakker, Bram Vanderbeke, Chiara van Praag, Katharina Mischer & Thomas Traxler, Maddalena Casadei, Marta Giardini, Wendy Andreu, Wiener Times   /  business development  Gabor Nagy, Konstantin Schmoelzer, Poonam Golani, Wilfried Amanshauser  /  photography  Alex Levac, Mark Glassner, Matei Plesa Nafez Rerhuf, Nick St. Oeger, Pauline Thurn und Taxis  /  visual identity  Anna Zimmermann   /  story-telling  Alexei Korolyov, Ana Berlin, Anne-France Berthelon, Francois Nunez, Giovanna Dunmall, Jasmin Jouhar, Karin Pollack, Kimberley Bradley, Marta Galli, Nissrin Zaptia, Susanna Koeberle  /  curators & advisors  Alice Stori Liechtenstein, Gabriel Roland, Gilles Masse, Francois Leblanc, Nick van Praag & GTS  /  local support  Gjoana Leka, Erjon Kacerja, Tamar Kiknadze, Maka Dvalishvili, Ana Maxaradze, Jamshid Fayzuallev & Jack Turner.

​

on the road for co/rizom © pauline thurn und taxis