Experience Matters…
While Row Innovations was officially put into gear in 2018, our roots in the fishing industry run deep, dating back about 10 years. Our founder, Jake Rowinsky first dove into the industry as a tournament angler sometime around 2010, establishing himself as a contender in many New England area competitions.
Though living the tournament angler lifestyle required a lot of work and time traveling to and from bass events with his tournament partner, Jake managed to balance his love for the sport while earning a degree. Having identified his aptitude and love for design early in his tenure at his technical high school, he made the natural progression toward pursuing a B.Sc. degree in Industrial Design (product design). This ultimately lead to his dream occupation wherein he has tied his passions for fishing and design together.
Over the years, relationships with sponsoring tackle companies developed into much more than a sponsorship and “pro staff” status. While in college, Optimum Bait Co. had taken Jake under their wing as a part time designer. From designing and prototyping new products or helping facilitate daily operations at Optimum HQ, Optimum’s founder, Matthew Paino taught him the ins and outs of small business ownership in the fishing industry along with the process that goes into developing a new lure. Paino was, and continues to be, a true mentor who was brought into the industry in a similar way.
At this point, Jake had worked as a designer in a number of industries and worked for employers such as the Hasbro Toys Model Studio. A few 9-5 design firm jobs were paying the bills. However, having designed a few products with various Bassmasters such as Fred Roumbanis and Bill Lowen kept the freelance design work from other lure companies coming in. It became clear that most lure companies do not need a full time product designer on their team, but there was a massive need to provide actual product design services across this industry. A massive hole needed to be filled.
In the summer of 2018, Row Innovations was born in a rented basement apartment in Saugus, Massachusetts. Over the next 6 months, Jake, Brock Allen, and James Chandler outgrew their basement operation and have since moved the business to our current home, a 2,000 sqft. facility in the neighboring city of Lynn.
Row Innovations LLC prides itself with being the first design studio specifically geared towards product development within the fishing industry with a portfolio with over 40 clients to boast. Whether you are a well-established lure company, or a new brand gaining traction in the industry, our dedicated and experienced team is here to provide essential design services.
