Tino Go was born in Indonesia, raised in Michigan, employed in Europe, and driven by innovation. After over a decade of consulting companies in financial crisis, Go decided to venture into the startup landscape and work towards solving the wasteful and outdated--often frustrating--furniture industry.

At the age of 5, his family relocated to Southeast Michigan where Go graduated high school with scholarships for sculpture and photography. He went on to earn a BA in economics from the University of Michigan and later, after having worked in advertising in France, Germany, and Italy, earned an MBA in finance from Indiana University.

Having moved around multiple homes and apartments, Go was no stranger to the frustrations of furniture shopping. During a residency in France, Go resorted to making his own piece, using scrap wood to make a desk that would fit the exact dimensions of the apartment space. The second time Go needed a custom-sized furniture piece he uncovered a well of manufacturing software and technology that was being seriously underutilized.

In 2016, motivated by these experiences, Baru was born. Baru (an Indonesian word meaning “new”) aims to disrupt the highly standardized, rigid industry with an entirely new business model. We are reinventing the online shopping experience using augmented reality and automated production systems.

“I see the company evolving into an internet market,” says Tino Go.

He envisions a virtual marketplace with new platforms, new customizability options, new sustainability standards, and new manufacturing processes.