Who We Are
We’re not interested in building a brand.
We’re interested in building better climbs, stronger teams, and gyms that actually live up to their potential.
We’ve set, taught, and consulted in gyms across the U.S., Europe, Asia and Oceania. From local bouldering gyms to IFSC competitions to new builds on a different continent — we’ve been part of it. And we’ve seen how much climbing can change when the setting makes sense, the crew works well, and the product reflects the people behind it.
SetKosaku isn’t a company. It’s the name we gave to the work we care about.
It’s our way of saying: “Let’s do this properly.”
Not louder. Not flashier. Just better. We don’t follow a formula. We listen, we observe, we ask the hard questions.
Then we build boulders, systems, and teams that actually work.
“巧作”
SetKosaku comes from a made-up Japanese kanji combination
One part means craftsmanship the other make.
It’s not a real word — but the meaning is real to us:
“Crafted with Mastery”
Meet Sarah / Meet Pierre
Pierre Despagne
Pierre’s background is in IT, business, and communication — and it shows in everything he does. He moved into routesetting full-time after working as a developer, bringing a systems mindset to a field that’s often allergic to structure.
He’s set for local gyms, elite crews, and IFSC competitions — and he’s just as comfortable building workflows as he is testing a comp slab. What makes him different isn’t just his setting — it’s how he connects movement, data, product design, and team behavior into something that actually works.
He’s currently focused on developing tools to measure routesetting impact using feedback and engagement data — and helping gyms make better decisions with clearer signals.
Sarah Filler
Sarah has been setting and leading teams for over a decade. She’s worked in gyms across the U.S. and internationally, from youth comps to full gym resets to training entire crews from the ground up
She sets with precision — often quiet, but always sharp. She reads how a boulder feels before most people notice something’s off. What drives her isn’t showing off movement — it’s creating climbs that hold meaning, teach something, or stick in your memory long after you’ve come down.
She doesn’t just build boulders. She builds standards.
We work with gyms, crews, and comp organizers around the world — from one-off events to long-term projects.
If you’re building something new — or trying to make what you have actually work — let’s talk.