Currently living in Malmö, Sweden

Short bio

By integrating design, AI-powered data science, and futures thinking, I help organizations become more strategic, innovative, resilient, and impactful. In academia, I have conducted research, taught, and consulted at institutions including Harvard, MIT, Stanford, Malmö University, the University of the Arts London, and the Polytechnic University of Milan. My contributions include (co)authoring and (co)editing seven books and over 100 publications, as well as securing research grants totaling more than €7 million. I currently serve as an Associate Professor at Aalborg University.

I have also founded and led successful, award-winning design-driven firms—most recently Logic Moon (impact-oriented strategic and service design) and IZILab (AI software for data-driven geospatial future intelligence). Operating across more than 30 countries, I have delivered over 500 projects for clients such as Procter & Gamble, Unilever, Dior, and Sony. In parallel, I advise public organizations—including the European Commission, the World Bank, and UNICEF—on foresight-driven innovation strategies, policy development, and funding programs.

Beyond my work in strategy and innovation, I am deeply engaged in well-being and longevity. As a certified RYT-500 yoga instructor, I explore science-based, design-supported approaches to healthy aging.

How can we work together?

What can I offer to design agencies?
My research (e.g., the one on how to combine design methods, strategic thinking and foresight) can possibly provide insights on how you can expand your market offering or enrich and streamline your design and development processes. In addition, I am also available for a chat in case you want / need an external viewpoint on managerial issues, business development or on a pitch / project particularly delicate and challenging.

What can I offer to large organizations? (E.g., government and public agencies, international institutions and cities operating within the R&D domain or through mission-oriented programs and transformative innovation)
I have extensively studied and consulted on how design thinking and methods can be leveraged to ignite and sustain innovation. I can help to set funding schemes and mission-oriented policies or help to launch and run design-driven programs and projects. I have also extensively reviewed research proposals and projects at different stages of development.

What can I offer to entrepreneurs and private companies?
As a serial entrepreneur, I have used design thinking and methods to launch 7 companies, with annual turnovers ranging up to €30 million. One company was backed by investment funds, one was successfully crowdfunded, another one was sold. I can share some tips on how design can help you grow your company.

What can I offer to universities and researchers?
I am always interested in co-authoring publications, writing joint grant applications, and, generally, collaborating on research and educational initiatives (e.g., co-chairing tracks at conferences, guest-editing special issues of journals, acting as a censor, discussant or opponent for PhDs and master’s exams, etc.).

I am also interested in co-supervising PhD students whose interests align with my areas of expertise.  

Further information 

Key areas of professional interest: Strategy & design, foresight and futures thinking, data science, design entrepreneurship, participatory design, design management, service design and strategic design methods and, more broadly, interaction design.

Key area of interest for my yoga practice: I have been into yoga for some 30 years, mostly practising various forms of breath-based hatha yoga (my reference point is the work of  Krishnamacharya, T. K. V. Desikachar and Vanda Scaravelli). I got my RYT-500 certification from Akasha Yoga Academy. I offer private one-to-one sessions (either in person or online) – mostly geared to people who would like to develop their own personal practice. If you are interested, please refer to my yoga studio (general offering here and specific offering for PhD students here).

Get in touch at me [at] lucasimeone.net