FR / EN

Nicolas Quendez

HEAD OF R&D
LEAD PRODUCT ARCHITECT

Systems architecture and hardware engineering expert, I lead product development from concept to industrialization, driving cross-functional teams and defining the innovation roadmap.

Professional Experience

KaheNautic_NQ3
KAHE NAUTIC Co-founder & CTO
Modular electric propulsion systems for marine use, combining high efficiency, embedded intelligence, and new use cases (outdoor & marine mobility).
12,000+ products sold – Revenue > €1M
2018 - 2026
dissi nq
DISSI Co-founder & President
Solid wood furniture brand designed, manufactured, and sold locally in French Guiana using regional natural resources. 100% local economic, social, and environmental model.
2015 - 2018
Chrysais_NQ3
CHRYSALIS ENGINEERING Freelance Product Innovation
Design studio focused on research, design, and development of innovative products, from concept to industrial prototypes. Clients: Quechua, Geonaute, Wedze, Oxelo.
2012 - 2018
capture d’écran 2026 01 18 à 09.38.33
DECATHLON - OXELO Technical Director
Urban sports brand (inline skating, scooters, skateboards & accessories) generating €150M+ revenue. Managed a team of 5 engineers and led product innovation. Designer of the patented “Diabolo” braking system, award-winning (iF Design, Red Dot).
2006 - 2010
Capture d’écran 2026-01-25 à 21.19.37
SUPAERO - ONERA Research Engineer
Led miniature drone projects, including flying wing concepts: airframe architecture, aerodynamics, propulsion, flight control systems, radio links, and wind tunnel and flight testing.
2002 - 2005
capture d’écran 2026 01 18 à 09.37.07
PHOTOGRAPHER Freelance
Freelance photographer specializing in nature, editorial, and corporate work. Contributor to SIPA Press and represented by Naturimages. Clients include Kering, Le Guide du Routard, Guerlain, NRJ, Le Parisien Magazine.
2009 - 2020
PATENTS
Propulsion
Steerable Nautical Propulsion
Twin-motor device with heading control via differential and inertial unit. Development in progress.
Filed 2025: FR3156749 (PCT World extensions in progress WO2025125765)
Motorization
Motorization and Cooling System
Active thermal management for brushless electric motors – over 12,000 products sold.
Patent: FR3100222 | Family: WO2021038037 (PCT)
Surf
Controlled Electric Assist Watercraft
Light watercraft with intelligent assistance reacting to the environment – over 12,000 products sold.
Patent: FR3099911 | Extensions: CN EP AU BR TW - 2021
Quechua
Self-inflating Soft Cooler (Fresh) - 2016
High-performance insulating textile technology – QUECHUA worldwide success: over one million products sold.
Patents: FR3026728 | Extensions: ES2583052 (B1) | ITUB20154076 (A1)
Diabolo
"Diabolo" Inline Skate Braking System - 2009
Intuitive braking system with anti-circumvention solution – almost 50,000 products sold.
Patents: FR2927545 | Family: WO2009101308

Personal Projects

modl3
MOD-L — 3D DIGITAL WIND TUNNEL Development of an advanced aerodynamic solver (VLM)
Computational code based on the Vortex Lattice Method, developed in Matlab to model complex 3D configurations (multi-surfaces, hydrofoils, wake interactions, free surface effects). Includes multi-constraint optimization, wake dynamics, and viscous drag estimation.
2003 - 2023 (phased development)
e7a9443
VAN DE GRAAFF GENERATOR Design and construction of an electrostatic generator
Electrostatic generator based on triboelectricity, designed to accumulate charge in a 50 cm sphere via an insulating belt system. The device reaches over 600,000 volts and enables scientific demonstrations of high electric field phenomena.
2022
Les deux garde-parc (au premier plan à droite) du parc national Los Alerces en Patagonie Argentine viennent d'emmener les élèves de l'école primaire sur le site de l'incendie de 2008 qui a ravagé 7000 hectares de forêt primaire en 2008. Ici, les enfants, avec leur instituteur (en train d'écrire sur le capot de la voiture), ont entamés un projet de reforestation de la zone. Après avoir fait pousser des espèces natives d'arbre en pépinière à l'école, ils viennent les replanter dans la zone incendiée.
“L’ARBRE À NOIX” PROJECT Biodiversity conservation & technical support
Coordination and deployment of a support project for 4 national parks in Latin America (Ecuador, Bolivia, Peru, Argentina). One year in the field to design digital tools, produce content, and support local teams toward greater autonomy.
2011

Formation & Compétences

logosupaero2

2003 ISAE-SUPAERO
Master of Science (MSc) in Fluid Dynamics

2002 UTC - Université de Technologie de Compiègne
Mechanical Systems Engineering Degree - Integrated Design and Modeling Specialization
International Exchange Semester:
Concordia & McGill Universities (Montreal, Canada)

Languages & Cultures
French
Native language
English
Fluent / Advanced
5 months study at Concordia University (Canada), daily professional use.
Spanish
Intermediate
1 year in Latin America (Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia, Argentina).
Asia
Cultural expertise
15 years of daily collaboration, +50 trips (China, Taiwan, Japan, Thailand), 1 year in Singapore (2020).
Computer Skills
CAD & CAM
Expertise in Catia V5 & Mayka
Part, Surface, Assembly, Realistic rendering, FEA, Machining modules. Basics of SolidEdge and initial training on Pro-Engineer.
Fluid Mechanics
XFoil, XRotor, Mdes, Crotor, DFDC
Advanced knowledge: Fluent, Numeca, Icem (CFD).
Scientific Computing
Matlab
Numerical modeling, algorithms, and basics of C.
Graphics & Web
Adobe Suite & CMS
Lightroom, Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign, Premiere, Final Cut Pro. WordPress, Shopify.
PROTOTYPING & MANUFACTURING
commandenumerique2

DIGITAL & PRECISION

  • CNC machining equipped with a Mécanuméric Charly2U milling machine (4-axis)
  • 3D printing FDM (equipped with BCN3D Sigma), SLA, SLS, PolyJet
  • Laser cutting equipped with Sculpfun
couture2

TEXTILE & FOAM

  • Technical sewing functional textile prototypes (equipped with a PFAFF 1222 machine)
  • Foam cutting CNC hot wire cutting (custom-built machine)
composites11

MATERIALS & PROCESSES

  • Anodizing personal equipment for aluminum
  • Composites Glass / Carbon & Epoxy
  • Wood Traditional woodworking