OpenIDEO Berlin Chapter

Harnessing the power of community to turn ideas into real action.

I co-founded the OpenIDEO Berlin Chapter—a volunteer-led community within a global network using human-centred design to drive social impact. Our mission was to bring creative problem solvers together to tackle local challenges in sustainability, education, and the circular economy.

Working closely with the global OpenIDEO network, I helped shape the Chapter’s vision, strategy, and programs.

We hosted workshops, panel discussions, and local activations to connect Berlin’s changemakers and put design thinking into practice. One highlight was a two-day event in collaboration with Nike, where participants explored how to design everyday products using Nike Grind materials to support a circular future. The event brought together 300+ people, with panelists from Berlin and San Francisco, and contributed ideas to a global innovation platform, where the winning concept received $30,000 in funding and a partnership with Nike.

I led events from concept to delivery, facilitated design sprints and workshops, and built partnerships with local organisations to bring new perspectives into the room. I managed content and communications to grow our community and amplify impact, as well as run design thinking sessions for MBA students at HWR Berlin, introducing practical tools for innovation in business and social impact work. It is a space to experiment, collaborate, and work on real problems together—led by the belief that creativity, community, and action can change the world.