Design Entrepreneurship Deep Dive 2023

October 18-19, 2023
Virtual Event

Thanks to everyone who joined our virtual Design Entrepreneurship Deep Dive! Throughout the experience, we delved into critical entrepreneurial aspects—from navigating business challenges and patent intricacies to securing vital funding. This gathering fostered rich connections and insights, proving the entrepreneurial dimension of design a compelling and enlightening space.

Empower your entrepreneurial journey

Learn actionable strategies from industry leaders for transitioning to becoming a successful entrepreneur.

Master intellectual property approaches

Gain a deeper understanding of innovative ways to safeguard your creative assets and maximize their value.

Craft effective go-to-market strategies

Discover how to create compelling strategies that resonate with your audience and set you apart in a competitive market.

Navigate business challenges

Hear real-world stories of overcoming challenges in areas like funding, scaling, market penetration, and operational efficiency, and learn strategies to navigate them effectively.

Learn from success stories

Draw inspiration from the experiences and journeys of industry leaders who have successfully turned their design expertise into thriving entrepreneurial ventures.

Achieve balance in vision and execution

Uncover tactics to harmonize visionary thinking with daily task execution, effectively managing distractions while fostering progress.

Speaker Takeaways

What Attendees Had to Say

“Just got off a superbly educational two days at the 2023 Design Entrepreneurship Deep Dive. It was such a pleasure to be interviewed on stage by IDSA’s Executive Director, Donté P. Shannon, FASAE, CAE, as we explored and unpacked the mindsets and behaviors of a design entrepreneur and the story behind #DesignSwarms and Authentic.

Throughout the two days, there was a wealth of knowledge on entrepreneurship, the pitfalls, the highs, lows, and rewards. Among the many stories, I loved hearing from Christina Perla about the backstory of how she orchestrated the establishment and growth of Makelab’s success story. Eric Chan, who created ECCO Design and as member of New York Angels, shared stories of guiding startups on their path to success. Mickey McManus gave us a peek at the secret sauce behind the success of LUMA Institute and MAYA Design. And so many more great speakers and stories.”

– Surya Vanka, IDSA, Authentic Design 

“Over the past 2 days, I had the incredible opportunity to immerse myself in a world of innovation, creativity, and entrepreneurship, and it has truly been a game-changer for me. 

At the 2023 Design Entrepreneurship Deep Dive, I was surrounded by a group of passionate individuals, all driven towards pushing the boundaries of design and innovation. A wealth of knowledge on entrepreneurship was shared, along with inspiring stories of resilience, willpower, failures and successes. 

Among the inspirational stories, I loved hearing from Eric Chan, creator of ECCO Design Lab about his journey of design, working with Herman Miller, Virgin and many more throughout his extensive career. Doug Patton’s experience with patenting over 200 products so far. Christina Perla’s establishment of Makelab and what it took to become the success story it is today. Mickey McManus of the Boston Consulting Group (BCG) shared insight behind the success of LUMA Institute and MAYA Design, […] and so many more great speakers and stories. 

Thank you for sharing your knowledge and inspiring us to reach new heights in our design and entrepreneurial journeys.”

– Malek Attar, Arizona State University

Sponsors & Media Partners

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Speakers

John Arnott, L/IDSA

The Arnott Design Group

Julie Bee

Julie Bee

Eric Chan

Ecco Design

Hannah Chung

Emcee | Design Leader & Entrepreneur

Steve Cozzolino, IDSA

Cozzolino Studio

Carol Dimopoulos

East Stroudsburg University

Steven Doehler, IDSA

University of Cincinnati

Xue Dong, I/IDSA

East Stroudsburg University of Pennsylvania

Steve Evans

Hasbro

Darlene Farris-LaBar

East Stroudsburg University

Samuel Lizzi

Product Development Evangelist

Jason Martin

CEM-TECH

John Mauriello

Design Theory

Mickey McManus

Autodesk

Samantha Noyes

Studio Noyes

Ayana Patterson, IDSA

Ayana Patterson Consultancy

Doug Patton, IDSA

Patton Design

Sriram Ramanan

MarketCast

Donté P. Shannon, FASAE, CAE

Industrial Designers Society of America

Surya Vanka, IDSA

Authentic Design

Olivia Wilmink

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