Co-founded the OpenIDEO Berlin Chapter and built a space for community, creativity, and collaboration—leading local strategy, events, and storytelling.
Introduction
Bringing global ideas to life through local community.
As a founding team member of the OpenIDEO Berlin Chapter, I helped build a volunteer-led network that connected Berlin’s creative problem solvers with global design challenges. We were part of a global movement using human-centred design to tackle issues like sustainability, circular systems, and education.
I worked with the OpenIDEO team to shape our chapter’s vision, direction, and programs. Our goal was to create spaces that felt open, energising, and practical where people could show up, learn something new, and feel part of something bigger.
We hosted design sprints, workshops, panels, and creative activations. I worked on events from concept to execution and shaped how we told our story so our community wasn’t just invited in, but truly engaged. That included event planning, building partnerships, facilitating design thinking workshops, and leading outreach and storytelling to grow and support our network.
The aim wasn’t just to run good events. It was to build something people wanted to be part of—to show up, work together, and build the kind of momentum that makes change possible.
Each gathering brought new voices into the room, from first-time designers to experienced entrepreneurs. We helped people connect around shared questions, spark ideas, and build on each other’s thinking, one step at a time.
Highlights
Nike: Design With Grind
We brought Berliners together to rethink circular design through the lens of Nike Grind—a palette of recycled materials made from used footwear. Over two days, we hosted a panel and hands-on design thinking workshop at CRCLR House, with 200+ attendees including sustainability experts, students, and creatives. The challenge awarded $50,000 to top global ideas. Our events helped surface new thinking and local energy that fed into the broader platform.
Starbucks: NextGen Cup Challenge
This global challenge asked innovators to rethink the fibre cup system—one of the most overlooked but widespread waste issues. In Berlin, we ran a design research workshop that taught participants how to map user journeys, conduct interviews, and synthesise insights. The research was submitted globally to support concept development, and gave our local participants practical tools they could use long after the session ended.
Rockefeller Foundation: Food GameChangers
To support the UN Food Systems Summit, we hosted “Berlin Food Futures”—an evening of talks and conversation exploring the future of food. The event brought together 100+ attendees, along with panelists from Berlin’s food innovation scene, including MikroKosmos, SuperCoop, Dörrwerk, and Ellery Studio. It was a space to share ideas, spark curiosity, and imagine what the future could look like—with edible seaweed dips and sugar-free desserts in hand.