Amidst the sun-kissed beaches and lush landscapes of Goa, the Kyoorius Designyatra 2015 unfolded as a spectacular celebration of creativity, design, and innovation. From September 10th to 12th, design enthusiasts, thought leaders, and visionaries from around the world gathered to embark on a captivating journey of ideas, insights, and inspiration.
What pumps your heart.
What gets you out of bed each morning? For some, it is doing what they love, the stuff that gets the heart racing, as days and decades pass by, where the reward is watching an idea come to life. This is a story of persistence and tough choices, and believing in something even if it goes against the grain. The urge to reinvent and challenge ourselves, propels us forward. In the long run, these become defining moments, ‘calling cards’ in their own right for what we’re capable of, given the chance. The 10th Anniversary Edition of Kyoorius Designyatra gives us a window to stories of outcomes, not outputs; not of success but sincerity; not of self-initiation but perseverance, belief and action, as speakers from around the world answer the question – What pumps your heart.
Meet the speakers –
- Alexis Hope – Researcher and Designer, MIT Media Lab
Alexis, a researcher and designer about to graduate from the Media Lab’s Center for Civic Media group, is known for pioneering community-focused design, future news projects, and civic engagement work. As the lead designer of the FOLD project, she’s shaping a unique non-linear storytelling platform generating interest among journalists, poised for a broad public launch, offering an insightful opportunity for Indian creators given her global design work and awards. - Amardeep Behl – Director, Design Habit
Amardeep Behl merges architecture, graphic design, industrial design, and multimedia to create emotive, storytelling experiences rooted in Indian culture. With 25 years of experience, his narrative spaces like Virasat-e-Khalsa, ‘Darshan’, and ‘The Journey’ are prime examples of successful integration of design means and techniques, crafting immersive visitor experiences. - Armin Vit – Co-founder, Underconsideration llc.
Hailing from Mexico City, Armin pursued a design career, working at firms like Norman Design and Pentagram. He co-founded UnderConsideration, launching impactful design websites, before relocating to Austin, Texas in 2009 to continue his design influence. - Ashwini Asokan – Co-Founder and CEO, Mad Street Den
Ashwini Asokan, a design Master’s holder from Carnegie Mellon, founded Mad Street Den in 2013 with $50,000 to democratize AI for mobile users through their cloud-based platform MADstack, enabling AI-driven features like facial recognition and emotion detection in apps. She left her role at Intel in 2014 to fully dedicate herself to the startup, after spending a decade in California exploring how technology can enhance people’s lives. - Ben Jones – Chief Technology Officer, AKQA
Ben, a visionary at AKQA, drives digital transformation by embracing possibility and optimism. Starting with emotion rather than technology, he’s shaped innovative projects like Nike+ Training Club and Fiat ECO-Drive, and with a focus on data and algorithms, he’s a respected industry pioneer, judge, speaker, and contributor. - Brendan McCormick – Creative Director, FITCH
Brendan, an experienced creative director, excels at crafting compelling brand narratives, with a background at renowned agencies like Wolff Olins and Landor Associates. Now at FITCH, he brings his diverse global experiences to create impactful brand stories for clients like ITC, Vodafone, Nestlé, and PepsiCo. - Daan Lucas – Founder, Random Studio
Daan Lucas, founder of Random Studio, transitioned from law to creative fields driven by a desire to invoke curiosity and create immersive contexts. He started with parties and graphic design, then shifted to interactive design with Random Studio, crafting dialogues and experiences that spark wonder and curiosity. - Daan Roosegaarde – Founder, Studio Roosegaarde
Daan Roosegaarde, an artist and innovator, is globally renowned for his social designs exploring the interplay of people, technology, and space. Leading Studio Roosegaarde, he has garnered numerous awards for his interactive projects like Dune, Intimacy, and Smart Highway, blurring boundaries between ideology and technology to create what he terms ‘techno-poetry’. - Dave Trott – Author
Born in east London, Dave’s creative journey took him from studying advertising with a Rockefeller Scholarship at Pratt Institute to founding renowned agencies like Gold Greenlees Trott, Bainsfair Sharky Trott, and Walsh Trott Chick Smith. Throughout his career, he’s garnered awards, including the D&AD President’s Award, and authored three books on creativity while training numerous young creatives through the D&AD Creative Workshop course. - Janardan Prasad – Co-Founder and COO, Autowale
Janardan is an entrepreneur who balances his passion for improving traffic conditions and playing tennis. After pursuing creative ventures in animation and computer games, he co-founded Autowale.in to address India’s urban commute challenge, earning recognition from media outlets including FastCompany. - Jessica Walsh – Partner, Sagmeister & Walsh
Jessica Walsh, a designer and art director based in NYC, is a partner at Sagmeister & Walsh studio, renowned for her award-winning work recognized by various design competitions and featured in books and exhibitions. She teaches at the School of Visual Arts, speaks internationally about design and creativity, and has worked with clients like Jay Z, The New York Times, and Adobe. - John McHale – ECD & Global Lead – Experience Design Practice, SapientNitro
John, with 19+ years of experience, is the Executive Creative Director at SapientNitro, overseeing global Experience Design. He has worked with notable clients like Coca-Cola and Google, creating projects like the Coca-Cola Interactive Vending machine, and his work has earned accolades including Cannes Lions and W3 awards. - Jon Wilkins – Chairman, Karmarama
Jon, a co-founder of Naked, a pioneering communications agency, championed media neutrality and served major clients like Coca-Cola and Unilever for 13 years. He later became Executive Chairman of Karmarama in 2014 after leaving Naked in 2013. - Karen Welman – Founding Partner & Chief Creative Officer, Pearlfisher
Karen, an acclaimed graphic designer and co-founder of Pearlfisher, draws innovative clients due to her entrepreneurial spirit. Her evolution from designer to inventor, creating temperature-regulating baby clothes with NASA-developed fabrics, has earned her numerous awards, including Top 10 Global Female Inventor recognition. - Lydia Winters – Brand Director, Mojang
As Mojang’s Brand Director, Lydia Winters leads Minecraft’s brand strategy and licensing for merchandise, while also engaging in projects like Block by Block with UN Habitat. From her beginnings in media creation to hosting MINECON and speaking globally, Lydia has become a pivotal figure in shaping Minecraft’s brand and community engagement. - Malika Favre – Illustrator
French artist Malika Favre, based in London, employs her bold and minimal style, often likened to Pop Art and OpArt, to create captivating visuals using negative space and color. Her work, rooted in narrative and imagination, carries humor and sensuality while reimagining the ordinary, all guided by the principle of ‘less is more’. - Mark Van Der Heijden – Backpacker Intern
Mark van der Heijden, hailing from the Netherlands, has journeyed across 25 countries and 6 continents as ‘The Backpacker Intern’, helping various organizations while exchanging his services for room and board. His global adventures led to his recognition as a Top 100 Most Influential Travel Blogger and co-founder of Wanderbrief®, a talent agency solving unique challenges through international placements of creative minds. - Max Weisel – Innovator
His expertise centers on human-computer interaction and he has collaborated with musicians like Björk and Lady Gaga. As the founder of RelativeWave and later acquired by Google, he works on enhancing mobile software design through tools like Form, with his work even featured in the New York Museum of Modern Art. - Mike Pelletier – Creative Technologist, Random Studio Amsterdam
Mike Pelletier, a Creative Technologist at Random Studio Amsterdam, specializes in interactive installations for brands like Nike, Viktor and Rolf, and Timex, bridging art and technology. With experience from the Banff Centre to Fablab Amsterdam, he’s also a digital artist known for 3D scanning, printing, animations, and exhibitions worldwide, now based in Amsterdam. - Morihiro Harano – Creative Director/ Founder, Mori Inc.
Morihiro Harano is a multifaceted creative director known for his achievements in advertising, new business, and media. He co-founded PARTY and Mori Inc., earning accolades like TED Ads Worth Spreading, Cannes Gold Lions, and D&AD Yellow Pencil, while also leading judging roles at D&AD, Cannes Lions, and Spikes Asia. - Mukesh Jha – CEO and Co-Founder, Autowale
IIT Kanpur graduate Mukesh transitioned from corporate roles to co-found Autowale, an Indian rickshaw app company, driven by a passion for using technology to improve local living. His entrepreneurial journey, featured by global media, is complemented by his musical interests and travel adventures with his wife Rashmi. - Neville Brody – Founder, Brody Associates
London’s Neville Brody is a pioneering designer who challenged traditional norms in his studies and work. He gained prominence as The Face magazine’s art director, shaping design trends. Founding Neville Brody Studio, he’s a prolific typeface designer and advocate of computer-based design tools. - Nick Law – Global Chief Creative Officer, R/GA
As Global Chief Creative Officer, Nick drives R/GA’s evolving creative vision, unifying design, technology, and diverse talents for projects like Nike+, Beats by Dre, and Google. Leading a multi-disciplinary team, he has steered R/GA’s success, achieving major industry awards and fostering innovation through initiatives like the R/GA Accelerator. - Nishant Patni – Founder & CEO, CultureAlley
Nishant, Founder & CEO of CultureAlley, spearheads India’s leading English learning app, Hello English, with 4.5M+ users and an IAMAI innovation award. His background includes Boston Consulting Group, Indian startups, and degrees from IIT Bombay and Kellogg School of Management. - Sam Mohan – Co-Founder, Yolk
Sam Mohan is a versatile photographer with a unique style that spans fashion, documentary, and architecture. His work is showcased in galleries across Europe, and he has collaborated with brands like Puma, Nike, and DHL. - Satya Raghavan – Head of Content Operations, YouTube India
Satya Raghavan is the Head of Content Operations at YouTube India, with diverse experience in consumer marketing, venture capital, and entrepreneurship. An MBA from Harvard Business School, he has held key roles at MSN India, STAR India, and Helion Ventures Partners, while also co-founding ventures like Just Another Magazine and SkoolShop. - Shuba Visweswaran – Strategy Director, FITCH
Shuba leads FITCH India’s strategic offerings, with extensive branding experience in New York and India. She’s worked on brands like Campbell’s and Altria, and now innovates with omni-channel platforms for Indian brands like Arvind Mills, Tata Trent, Aditya Birla, and Vodafone. - Stuart Radford – Lead Designer, The Partners
tuart leads a London design team at The Partners, working on branding projects for companies like Silversea and the Advertising Association. With a background at Fitch, Radford Wallis, and HGV, his creative work has gained recognition from DBA, Design Week, Cannes Lions, and D&AD Awards. - Tnop Wangsillapakun – Founder and Design Director, TNOP™ DESIGN
Tnop Wangsillapakun, a prominent graphic designer in Thailand, co-founded TNOP™ DESIGN. His approach blends art and design, aiming to capture culture through contemporary executions. Tnop is active in the Thai design scene, contributing to events and exhibitions, and his work has earned recognition from prestigious awards and publications worldwide.
This edition of Designyatra was a testament to the resilience of creative thought, the power of collaboration, and the unwavering passion that drives individuals to redefine artistic boundaries. As the sun set on the picturesque setting of Goa, the spirit of Designyatra continued to illuminate the world of design, leaving a trail of inspiration and creative momentum in its wake.