
In a candid chat with Dr. Yannick Francken, our CTO at FITYCAL, he shared his journey from academia to the forefront of fitness technology, revealing the milestones that shaped his career and the personal motivations driving his vision at FITYCAL. Here’s how it went:
Q: You are known as our tech whiz, how did you first become interested in tech at all?
Yannick: It all started when I was about 15 years old. I wasn't initially interested in computers until a friend visited and used mine to write a basic program. He created a simple calculator that could compute the sine of an angle. A concept I was just learning about in school. That moment of realization, seeing something I was learning being applied through programming, completely amazed me. I was hooked. I spent that whole summer teaching myself to program, diving into books and examples from libraries to understand more.
Q: Was there any significant turning point in your early programming experiences?
Yannick: One key moment was during my last year of high school. I had been self-teaching and experimenting with programming for some time, and I developed a particular interest in building a “3D rendering engine” from scratch. Earlier that year, my teacher recognized my skills and essentially gave me full freedom in class. He told me to keep working on my projects and just to take the tests. It was an incredible vote of confidence and really allowed me to explore deep into my interests, which set the stage for my future studies.
Q: How did this passion for visual computing evolve into a professional and academic career?
Yannick: After high school, I pursued a Master's in Computer Science (Multimedia), where I could formally study my hobby. The university environment was enriching; not only did I learn from structured courses, but I also had access to experts who could further deepen my understanding. Upon completing my master's, the university gave me the chance to stay for a Ph.D., where I could focus fully on developing new methods in visual computing, especially in camera-based 3D scanning.
Q: You’ve had some notable achievements along the way. Can you share some with us?
Yannick: One of the highlights has to be the first acceptance of our research paper by a top notch international conference. It was a proud moment that signified we were pushing the envelope at the research institute. Also, on a more personal note, knowing that I've had a positive impact on the people I've worked with is incredibly fulfilling. It’s not just about the technical achievements but also about the shared journey and growth along the way.
Q: I understand you first dove into the world of academia before transitioning to the professional world?
Yannick: Correct, it wasn’t until towards the end of my Ph.D. that several personal factors influenced my decision to move closer to home and start working in a more industrial context. I bought a house near Antwerp, where I grew up. My significant other, Tanja, was living there too. It became impractical to continue my academic work due to the lengthy several-hours commute. So, I found a job in Antwerp that allowed me to apply my skills while also being close to home, which really marked my first steps into the tech industry.
Q: What experiences at your first tech job influenced your decision to deepen your involvement in the tech industry and eventually lead to founding your own company?
Yannick: After about five years in academics, I felt the need to apply my skills where they could make an immediate difference. I joined 3D/4D Dynamics, a tech startup in the 3D scanning space which was my initiation in the 3D body scanning field. There, I was part of product development and got a real taste of entrepreneurship. Eventually, I became a small shareholder, finally achieving my aspiration to build something larger than myself. Unfortunately, financial hurdles led to the company's closure.. but that experience only fueled my desire to continue in this field. It prompted me to co-found 3D Software Lab where we focus on software and management consultancy, further applying and expanding my expertise in a way that felt both impactful and fulfilling.
Q: What attracted you to FITYCAL and the development of 3D body scanning technology?
Yannick: FITYCAL was a perfect fit. It combined my expertise in 3D technology with a meaningful application in health and fitness. Working on technology that has the potential to improve people’s lives felt like a natural and exciting next step that aligns with my values.
Q: You’re involved in sports too. How does this intersect with your work at FITYCAL?
Yannick: Absolutely, I engage in various recreational sports such as badminton, padel, biking, skateboarding, and walking. My primary objective is to clear my mind and to re-energize. However, I've always viewed sports as an investment in my future physical well-being. Therefore, having the opportunity to contribute to technology that can accurately measure the impact on my body shape and values is rewarding.
Q: What’s your vision for how the FITYCAL app will impact users and the health and fitness industry?
Yannick: I envision FITYCAL changing the way we track health. I don't believe in summarizing a full person in a one-dimensional value called weight. By incorporating the Fitycal scanning technology into people's routine, I do strongly believe we enhance users' health by tracking multi-dimensional data instead.
Q: With your deep tech background, how do you see your role influencing the future of FITYCAL and its impact on the fitness industry?
Yannick: My most significant contributions at FITYCAL likely come from my technical knowledge and network, combined with my critical thinking and experience in tech startups.
Q: Now that we've discussed your professional journey, we would like to know a bit more about you personally. Could you share something interesting about yourself that most people might not know?
Yannick: Here’s a fun fact; did you know that I have a talent for inadvertently complicating situations when trying to offer assistance? One time, I pressed the emergency button to stop an automatic escalator when an elderly person was tumbling down. The moment I pressed the button, the person had already managed to stand up again but fell down again because of the sudden stop! Another time, I called a neighbor to tell her that her house was on fire. It proved to be just sunshine reflecting off water evaporating on the roof. But hey, my road to hell is paved with good intentions.
Conclusion:
From detailed researcher to tech innovator, Yannick Francken's story with FITYCAL is about leveraging technology to make a real difference in the realm of health and fitness. His journey shows us that when expertise meets a commitment to wellbeing, the result can be truly groundbreaking.
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