ADD FUEL studio

What ADD FUEL studio does

ADD FUEL is the professional artistic studio of Portuguese contemporary artist Diogo Machado, operating as a solo practice founded in 2008 and based in Cascais, Portugal. The studio specializes in reinterpreting traditional Portuguese tin-glazed ceramic azulejos through contemporary visual language, employing symmetrical repetition, trompe-l'œil, and layered patterning executed across hand-pulled screen prints, hand-painted ceramic tiles (10×10 cm to 30×30 cm, editions of typically 20–50 plus artist proofs), unique one-of-a-kind artworks, designer vinyl toys, and a self-published 240-page monograph titled ▫1 (Square One). The underlying craft combines heritage ceramic technique with mural-scale public art, with documented interventions in 15+ countries across Europe, North America, Oceania, and Africa.

The business runs five parallel revenue streams: limited-edition art sales (€160–€3,000), mural and ceramic installation commissions (€2,000+ range), brand collaborations and licensing (Nike, Havaianas, EA, Superplastic, Quiccs, Viúva Lamego, Suarez, RiseAD, Metralha, Shepard Fairey/Obey), designer toy collaborations (€140–€400), and publications (€32 monograph). Pricing is unit-based with edition scarcity enforced through numbered runs and artist-proof variants; payments processed primarily via PayPal with worldwide TNT/FedEx fulfillment and free shipping on many items.

Customer segments split into four groups: contemporary art collectors (primary), cultural institutions and municipalities seeking public-art installations (primary), fashion and lifestyle brands seeking limited-edition collaborations (secondary), and designer toy collectors (secondary). Distribution combines direct-to-consumer e-commerce on addfuel.com with a six-gallery partner network spanning Castanier (Miami), Underdogs (Lisbon), StolenSpace (London), Galerie Itinerrance (Paris), Station 16 (Montreal), and Subliminal Projects (Los Angeles), supplemented by Wynwood Walls Shop, Obey Giant's online store, Kidrobot, Martian Toys, Plastic Empire, and Visit Cascais tourism retail. Marketing is community-led via Instagram (@addfuel) and YouTube, with event-driven amplification through 30+ international festivals (Nuart, Wynwood Walls, Art Basel Miami, Blink Cincinnati, The Crystal Ship, Djerbahood). The studio is privately owned by Machado with no external investors, parent company, or formal disclosed legal business entity.

Name

ADD FUEL studio

Legal name

ADD FUEL (Artistic Moniker of Diogo Machado)

Website

https://addfuel.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2008

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

ADD FUEL is the solo artistic studio of Portuguese artist Diogo Machado, founded 2008 in Cascais, producing limited-edition screen prints, hand-painted ceramic tiles, unique artworks, and designer vinyl toys rooted in reimagined Portuguese azulejo tradition, sold directly online, through six international gallery partners, and via brand collaborations with Nike, EA, Havaianas, Superplastic, and others.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Cascais

HQ country

Portugal

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Personnel, Supply Chain, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Limited Edition Art Sales: Sale of limited edition prints, ceramic tiles, and unique artworks through e-commerce and gallery partners. Editions typically limited to 30-100 copies with artist proofs. Prices range from €160 to €3,000 depending on format and edition.
2. Brand Collaborations & Licensing: Collaborations with brands including Havaianas, Nike, EA Games, Superplastic, Quiccs, and others for licensed merchandise including apparel, footwear, toys, and accessories. Typically one-time product drops with limited editions.
3. Mural & Commission Art: Public art commissions for murals, installations in hotels, corporate spaces, and private commissions. Includes major public installations at Wynwood Walls, festivals worldwide, and permanent civic artworks.
4. Prints & Publications: Sale of art books including the self-published '□1' (Square One) monograph, screen prints on various paper stocks, and artist publications.
5. Designer Toys & Collectibles: Limited edition vinyl toys and collectibles through partnerships with Superplastic, Martian Toys, Kidrobot. Includes collaborations with Quiccs (TEQ63 series) and Superplastic (Janky, SuperJanky series).

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion4 records

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

ADD FUEL studio is the artistic practice of Portuguese contemporary artist Diogo Machado, founded in 2008 and based in Cascais, Portugal. The studio sells limited edition screen prints, hand-painted ceramic tile editions, one-of-a-kind artworks, designer vinyl toys, and a self-published monograph (■1 Book) directly through addfuel.com, while also producing commissioned large-scale murals and bespoke ceramic installations for public spaces, hotels, municipalities, and brand partners worldwide.

Product overview

ADD FUEL studio is the artistic practice of Portuguese contemporary artist Diogo Machado, specializing in reimagined Portuguese azulejos (tile) aesthetics through contemporary art forms. The studio operates as a creative studio selling limited edition products directly through its e-commerce platform. The core product portfolio includes: limited edition screen prints (prints), hand-painted ceramic tile editions (ceramic tiles), one-of-a-kind artwork pieces (unique), a self-published monograph book, and vinyl/designer toys (AIRWALKER, T6Q FU3L, FRAGIL). The studio also creates commissioned murals and ceramic installations for public art, festivals, hotels, and private clients. All products feature the artist's signature multilayered tile-inspired patterns bridging heritage craftsmanship with contemporary visual culture. Sales are processed via the addfuel.com shop with payment through PayPal and worldwide shipping via TNT/FedEx.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Limited Edition Screen Prints Hand-pulled screen prints in limited editions (typically /50-100 plus Artist Proofs) on paper stocks such as Astropack 320g, Keaykolour 300g, and Coventry Rag, featuring multilayered tile-inspired patterns in blue-and-white or multicolor palettes. Targeted at contemporary art collectors.
• Ceramic Tile Editions Limited edition ceramic tiles (azulejos) with gel ink or hand-painted designs in 10x10cm to 30x30cm formats, produced in collaboration with Portugal's historic tile manufacturer Viúva Lamego. Editions typically /20-50 plus 3-10 Artist Proofs. Targeted at collectors and cultural institutions.
• Unique Artworks (FRENETIC, SCARS series)

Quantifiable outcome

• Featured in 50+ solo and group exhibitions internationally
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers8 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Boutique dos Relógios PlusminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 20 July 2024Tiles and Watchmaking fusion collaboration. Unique collection displayed in all Boutique dos Relógios Plus stores from North to South of Portugal during Summer 2024. Fusion between art and traditional Portuguese craftsmanship.
• RiseADminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 5 April 2023'AZ404' and 'GOOD DAYS' sunglasses collaboration. Available in Classic and Aviator styles. Products sold through Wynwood Walls Shop. Triple collaboration including Add Fuel, Wynwood Walls, and RiseAD.
• HavaianascoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 10 November 2022AZTOP and SLIM limited edition flip-flop collaboration. Unique items displayed in Museu Nacional do Azulejo. Solidarity initiative with full auction donation to NGO Casa de Acolhimento Mão Amiga.
• Quiccs / Martian ToyscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 15 February 2022TEQ63 Artist Series vinyl toy collaboration. 6-inch vinyl toy with 2 sets of interchangeable arms. Edition of 250 each colorway. White colorway via Kidrobot; Blue colorway via Plastic Empire.
• SuperplasticcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 14 October 2021Multiple vinyl toy collaborations: REI BANDIDO (3.5-inch, Kranky Series One blind box), MAGNUS (15-inch, special high-gloss, OG Blue and Jade), FRAGIL (8-inch, special high-gloss, OG Blue and Burnt AF), LIL'FRAGIL (3-inch, Janky Series Two blind box).
• Viúva LamegocoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 May 2021RELEVANTE exclusive limited collection. Ongoing collaboration for ceramic tile production. Also collaborated on PATCH: WORKED installations for Saraiva e Associados office and Luster Hotel. Viúva Lamego is Portugal's historic tile manufacturer.
• SuarezminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 20 April 2021'AZ352 (PRATA)' limited edition silver pendant jewel. Edition of 55. Sterling silver (matt sandblast finishing) pendant with 42cm silver chain. Part of Suarez Silver Prints collection.
• MetralhaminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 6 January 2020Capsule collection including T-shirt, hoodie, and jeans. Released via Metralha worldwide.
• Electronic Arts (EA)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 22 February 2019Custom ceramic piece inspired by Anthem video game. Artist is described as a 'huge nerd for videogames.' EA challenged Add Fuel to create a unique ceramic piece for the game launch. Also collaborated on Need for Speed Payback (2017) with city murals in Fortune Valley.
• NikecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 6 April 2014Four-colour screen print on cotton T-shirt. Limited Edition part of Portugal Fan Kit released for 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil. Sold out.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Cranio (Fabio de Oliveira Parnaiba): Brazilian street artist with international mural portfolio, gallery editions, and brand collaborations. Comparable in operating globally across multiple continents while maintaining a distinct national-cultural identity in the work.
• Vhils (Alexandre Farto): Portuguese contemporary street artist with global exhibition record, museum shows, and brand collaborations. Same home country and comparable career arc — both started in Lisbon-area street art, achieved international gallery representation, and balance murals with limited edition works.
• Shepard Fairey / OBEY Giant: American street artist and founder of OBEY Clothing. Direct collaborator with Add Fuel on the MODULAR print (2022), sold via obeygiant.com. Comparable in scale of brand collaborations, editioned prints, and global mural presence.
• André Saraiva: Swedish-Portuguese street artist and gallery owner with global exhibition presence, brand collaborations (including with fashion and lifestyle brands), and editioned prints. Comparable career trajectory in balancing fine-art gallery shows with commercial brand work.
• ROA: Belgian street artist known for large-scale black-and-white animal murals across 4+ continents. Comparable international mural footprint and gallery representation, focused on a distinctive single visual language that anchors the brand.
• Invader: French street artist famous for tile-mosaic invasions in cities worldwide. Invader is the closest stylistic peer — both artists use tile as their primary medium and reimagine traditional ceramic aesthetics through urban art. Both sell limited editions and have built international collector bases through gallery networks.
• PichiAvo: Spanish contemporary/street art duo known for intricate murals blending classical and urban aesthetics. PichiAvo has exhibited with Add Fuel (MEMÓRIA MATERIAL, 2025) and shares the heritage-meets-contemporary positioning, international mural footprint, and gallery-network distribution model.
• Bordalo II (Artur Bordalo): Portuguese street artist known for large-scale animal sculptures from trash and waste materials. Same national origin (Portugal), international mural portfolio, gallery representation, and gallery-edition business model.
• D*Face (Dean Stockton): UK-based contemporary street artist with strong limited-edition print and vinyl toy business, gallery network spanning London/Miami/LA, and extensive brand collaborations. Comparable commercial structure including designer toys and screen prints.

Broad incumbents

• Superplastic: Designer toy and virtual character company that has produced multiple Add Fuel collaborations (FRAGIL, MAGNUS, Janky series). Functions as a peer distribution/manufacturing counterpart for the vinyl-toy revenue stream — a broader incumbent in the artist-toy category.

Market position

Strengths1 record

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Instagraminstagram.com/addfuel
• Xx.com/addfuel
• Facebookfacebook.com/addfuel
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/add-fuel-studio

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about ADD FUEL studio