‘INTELLIGENT EARTH’ EXPLORING A FUTURE OF INTERSPECIES COLLABORATION & INNOVATION

*Day03. Friday, July 09, 07:00 EDT

What is the real separation between nature, animals & the human species? How might we harness the principles, methods & wisdom of nature into the way we design culture, businesses, cities & more? How could plants, animals & humans collaborate together to ensure the thriveability of our shared planet?

In this luncheon talk, Speculative Futures London will host a conversation about how to innovate with & through nature & share their latest work and insights on interspecies design, general ecology, climate resilience and more.

Vanessa Rosenthal is a business innovation consultant focused on bringing early stage research to life within sustainable ecosystems. As a believer in the power of collaboration, Vanessa leads the Speculative Futures London Chapter, taking alternative leaps into how the world could be through the lenses of arts, design and science - connected with 50+ chapters across the globe. Prior, she worked across North America and Europe with clients like Google on the future of education and digital healthcare. Vanessa holds a Master in International Business from Hult Business School, London, San Francisco and Boston.

Dr Olivier Cotsaftis is a post-disciplinary designer navigating the spaces between presents, futures, fictions and realities. At RMIT University School of Design, his research addresses climate resilience and social innovation in urban heterotopias. Ollie is also the founder and creative director of future ensemble studio and the co-founder of Speculative Futures Melbourne—the Melbourne Chapter of The Design Futures Initiative.

Giuliana Mazzetta is a strategic design consultant who works at the intersection of design, business and futures. With a multi-disciplinary background, Giuliana holds a BA in International Development Studies from McGill University, as well as a MSc in Innovation, Entrepreneurship & Management from Imperial College London. Building her foundations as a business designer at Futurice digital engineering consultancy, Giuliana currently works as an independent consultant for impact-driven startups and companies. Rooting her practice in foresight, Giuliana has produced trend reports on topics spanning across the Future of AI, Voice, Travel & Hospitality, Retail, Automotive and Governance. Always experimenting with new methods and applications of inclusive design, she is currently exploring the future of craft and interspecies design in research funded by the British Council, as well as continuing her ongoing project @futures_archive.