The Elements brand

Defining our Core Identity.

Dear reader,

What does the Elements brand mean to you? Over the years, our team has grown from a small Dutch start-up to a national player working for local brands who sometimes need international exposure. And we’ve managed to build a strong reputation in a rapidly changing technology market. Depending on your role and how long you’ve been with Elements, you probably have your own ideas about our brand identity.

We feel the need to share the same story — for ourselves as well as our customers. We designed our Brand Book to clarify and strengthen our brand by sharing the same clear and compelling message internally and externally.

Elements has evolved into a digital agency at the forefront of technology. You are part of our international team. We all share a passion for technology and design and provide our clients with exceptional, unforgettable digital experiences. When you read this Brand Book, you’ll see where we started, how we got here and where we’re headed. You’ll learn what makes us special as well as how we define our identity, culture and our shared beliefs. Every Elementeer is unique and offers their own skills and ideas. That’s why you and your role in our story are so important to our ongoing growth and success.

We’ve put a lot of energy into this Brand Book and it is totally worth it if it can help you share our story, work with more clarity and make your daily decisions based on the things you have learned in this book. I sincerely hope it can help you and reinforce how important you are to Elements.

Erwin van Hasselt

We make cool stuff

Hi! We‘re Elements

You are part of an independent, no-nonsense agency with more than 70 Elementeers from all over the globe, working from offices in Almere and Barcelona. We merge design, technology, data and a healthy dose of passion and dedication to craft lovable & usable digital products that help move brands and people forward.

We are dreamers & makers.

From attic to our own easygrow.io lab

It’s 1996. Picture two techies working from an attic in The Netherlands and you’ll realize how much Elements has evolved and grown. During those early days, our unquenchable curiosity and passion for emerging technologies made us stand out as an early adopter compared to other start-ups.

A study in success
Our founders Danny Hoffman and Wouter ten Brink started Elements as a project for their school studies. They identified a market and developed websites and applications to help small and local clients make a strong online impact.

Since then, Elements has evolved thanks to our curiosity and adaptive nature. It led to our early adoption of mobile technology at its infancy when Nokia and Windows ruled the mobile space. Most of the world didn’t recognise the potential of mobile apps. But we did. We believed in it, loved it and kept playing around with it.
It wasn’t until Steve Jobs introduced the iPhone in 2007 that people finally saw the limitless potential of mobile technology. Meanwhile we had established ourselves as a leader in developing with web and mobile technology years ahead of the rest.

Easygrow container

How we got in the spirit of the game
Our pioneering spirit and never-ending appetite for emerging technology established Elements as one of The Netherlands; first mobile app companies. But we didn’t stop there. We developed a multi platform 3D gaming engine for well-known gaming studios. Then we launched Rough Cookie, a gaming company. It created Star Defense, a game that Apple showcased during their keynote at the 2009 WWDC. In 2011, Rough Cookie was acquired by ngmoco. Today, we remain tapped into a niche market that bridges data with design thinking and emerging technology. We enjoy being early adopters in a world where a combination of web and mobile is in high demand. And we keep exploring web and mobile developments to ignite our clients’ brands with technically advanced solutions that help them fulfil their business goals.

Partnerships take us to the next level
We strive to be a partner of choice for clients that are a good fit with us. We have developed some loyal partnerships that have lasted for over 15 years. They appreciate our innovative drive and goal to stay relevant in a market where new technologies are introduced at the speed of light.

Our latest focus is to stake our claim in data, AI and machine learning with our WeRiot startup. And our investment and participation in MiniBrew is showcasing the potential of the “connected devices for consumers” market. The partnership with MiniBrew gives us valuable insights into working with a startup whose goal is to disrupt the beer space. We are building a platform in a specific segment with global reach, creating a unique concept and combine it with hard- and software and mine relevant and marketable data.

Future-focused in our own easygrow.io lab
The attic where we started Elements is a distant memory. Today we work in our own easygrow.io lab, which offers a world where we can create our own IoT adventure. It lets us play with and experiment with IoT devices, data and machine learning, hybrid mobile development solutions, a new way of working and more. Since easygrow.io is our initiative, it offers limitless possibilities.

Looking to the future, our motto is still simple. We will keep following our passion and look for new technologies and concepts. We will keep learning and trying new things. This innovative and curious spirit will help us stay at the front of the pack in our marketplace.

The most important element for us it is to stay relevant, innovative and passionate. Both as a partner for our clients as well as employer for our like- minded and international team. For more than 20 years, Elements has offered high value and relevance in a rapidly changing world. You can help us keep up this momentum and our healthy growth.

Our Elements of Success

If you’ve wondered how Elements got our name, it’s because we’re made of many different bits and pieces. And every piece is necessary to complete every solution we develop.

At Elements, we work closely together and use our various skills and technology to add something special to every project. From the right people to the right variables, every Element is necessary to our success and to create extraordinary solutions for our clients. Meanwhile, the human element remains at the center of every project to help us create an unforgettable experience that touches peoples’ lives and work.

An innovative design & technology agency with a passion for crafting lovable & usable digital products.

It's our vision

“To humanize technology”  

Today more than ever, technology is impacting every aspect of our lives, from how we work to how we live. From the internet and mobile technology back in the days to artificial intelligence, IoT and machine learning nowadays. Technology is leading us into a revolutionary future.

But one thing will never change — and it’s the one thing technology can’t replicate. Our hearts, minds and souls. Since day one, we’ve incorporated the human element into everything we do. We believe people come first. This is what sets Elements apart. We combine our unique human DNA and technical craftsmanship into every digital experience we create for our customers.

It’s our responsibility to maintain this human factor to make tech work for us and with us. This is how we will keep leading the way to a smarter, more human-focused future.

Therefore it's our mission to

“Help you progress by turning complex challenges into relevant, exciting and easy to use digital products ”

We are people crafting for people.

The human element is at the heart of every decision we make and solution we create, for our clients as well as their customers. We gather insights that fuel our imagination and help us create unforgettable digital experiences.

We measure our success by how well we find the sweet spot that bridges the business needs with peoples’ needs. It’s the secret to our success and how we create joyful and relevant experiences.

The Sweet Spot

Our solutions thrive in the Sweet Spot that lives between your business needs, user needs and feasibility. It’s the only way to make products that people actually want.

International culture

If you’re wondering about the hierarchical structure at Elements, we’re happy to tell you there is no hierarchy. We have a flat culture, which means we’re all on the same level. We are all accessible to ask and answer questions when it matters most. This helps us stay flexible and competitive since we can adjust quickly when needed.

Our two Dutch founders launched Elements in 1996 from their home base in The Netherlands when they began developing websites for local businesses.

Over the years, we’ve expanded our product offerings to people-friendly innovations with mobile apps to AI, IoT and machine learning. Along the way, our team has grown to 70 Elementeers who offer a variety of technical, design and communication skills.

Today, you’re one of our Elementeers who come from all over the world, working from either Almere or our Barcelona office. No matter where we’re from, one main Element we all have in common is our bold nature and passion to bridge technology and design to make unforgettable experiences for people.

Elements light signal

Our brand personality is like a crime-fighting partner

For our clients, we’re like Robin to their Batman. A partner and player in every adventure, we’re enthusiastic, flexible and fearless in our ideas and execution. We are also straightforward and our no-nonsense approach cuts through the unnecessary. At Elements our three-step strategy for success is to incorporate people, our craft and progress.

Elements is made up of highly skilled professionals. We all come from a variety of countries, cultures and backgrounds. This dynamic thread binds us and has helped us become excellent communicators. We know how and when to listen and proactively advise clients.

And like every great partner, we love to work with our clients and help them every step of the way. We value great ideas, but also believe in being realistic and asking the tough questions when needed. That’s what makes a true partnership work and succeed.

The 3 main elements that drive us.

Elements principles

#1 People
Although we are a tech company, the heart of everything we do is the human element. We base our decisions with peoples’ best interest in mind. We’re not just in it for the money. And we are only as good as you are. That’s why you’re our first priority. Elements is a respectful, kind and open working environment where everyone is treated equally.

#2 Craft
Our passion and craftsmanship shines bright in everything we do. From concepts and visual design to writing code and communications, we take pride in doing it all to the highest standard. At Elements, we measure success in the quality and relevance of our work. We don’t waste our time or talent developing just for the sake of developing. We focus our expertise to deliver the highest quality, most relevant impact for clients and end-users.

#3 Progress
From day one, our pragmatic and explorer’s DNA has helped us and our partners keep moving forward and discovering new things. We make things better. This is what drives us and helps us to keep evolving on a personal and professional level. You’ll see that Elements empowers progress.

Our values

People come first
We are proud of our open and safe environment where people are treated with respect and have autonomy and maximum support for growth.

Curiosity and discovery
We’re all experts in our fields. The way we stay on top of our game is to continuously question, learn and adapt. We support your ongoing learning to empower you and help make Elements a leader in the digital marketplace.

Let’s keep it simple
As an Elementeer, you may have noticed our no-nonsense culture and obsession with keeping things simple. We are very pragmatic. What you see is what you get. This simple focus helps us maintain clarity from our solutions and flat culture to how we communicate with each other. Simplicity is a beautiful thing.

Quality, not quantity
We don’t play a numbers game by making more stuff just because we can. What really matters is to constantly improve while we maintain the highest quality. This is how we can make the most of our time and talent, and deliver the best experiences with the most impact.

Love what you do
Some people have jobs. At Elements we have a passion to transform how people interact with technology in their daily lives. It’s a privilege to be trusted by our clients and inspire them with our creativity, enthusiasm and innovation. After all, when you really love what you do, it doesn’t seem like work, does it?

Soft skills tell the story
Because we exist in that sweet spot where technology meets design, we have a special story to tell. That’s why it’s important to use soft skills to encourage growth and self-reflection so we create deeper connections with each other and our clients. Our soft skills balance and enhance our deep technical expertise, help us develop an open culture with meaningful interactions and showcase Elements in the best light possible.

Keep up with healthy downtime
We may work with technology, but we’re not robots. And we love our work and face challenges and deadlines, but our priorities are in order. A happy home life goes hand-in-hand with a happy work life. That’s why we encourage you to enjoy your downtime with family and friends; it’s a priceless commodity.

Create together
In an open and trusted company culture like ours, it’s only natural for Elementeers to work and improve together. We work together and push each other to new heights. That’s where the magic happens.