The role of design in social entrepreneurship
Join us for a panel exploring the creative and strategic processes behind building social enterprises.
The role of design in social entrepreneurship
19 Jun 2025, 15:00
This inspiring conversation will bring together entrepreneurs from the Fast Forward 2030 global network and will be chaired by Dr Ville Takala, Lecturer in Transformative Entrepreneurship at UCL Institute for Global Prosperity.
Drawing on their experiences, speakers will explore the creative and strategic processes behind building social enterprises, and how design thinking helps align multiple stakeholders in the pursuit of collective, long-term impact.
We'll also look at the interface between entrepreneurship and policy: how entrepreneurs collaborate with policymakers, and what infrastructure is needed to allow socially-driven businesses to thrive.
Access to the London Design Biennale
Following the panel talk, we invite you to visit the London Design Biennale including our pavilion People Powered Prosperity. Book your ticket on the official website and use the code LDBEXHIB25 to get a 25% discount.
Solveiga Pakštaitė
Founder & Director
Mimica
Solveiga is an award-winning inventor and entrepreneur best known for creating Bump, a patented food spoilage indicator designed to reduce waste through smarter packaging. As Founder and Director of Mimica, she champions innovation at the intersection of design and sustainability. Solveiga is also an Honorary Lecturer at UCL and has been named MIT Technology Review’s Inventor of the Year.
Selin Yigitbasi-Ducker
Founder
Goodsted
Selin is a social entrepreneur and founder of Goodsted, a collaborative platform that connects individuals, organisations, and communities to work on social and environmental challenges. Her platform helps companies manage employee engagement and impact reporting more effectively. With a background in marketing and innovation, Selin has received several accolades, including the FBN NxG Lombard Odier and CampdenFB Next Gen Entrepreneur Awards.
Sara Wahedi
Founder & CEO
Civaam & Ehtesab
Sara is a civic-tech innovator and founder of Ehtesab, a real-time crisis alert platform operating in Kabul. As CEO of Civaam, she develops tech solutions for crisis-affected regions. Recognised by TIME, Forbes, and MIT Technology Review, Sara is dedicated to using technology to improve access to vital information and strengthen civil infrastructure in conflict zones.
Arthur Kay
Director
Innovo
Arthur Kay is an entrepreneur, urban designer, and advisor building solutions for sustainable cities. He is the founder of Skyroom; The Key Worker Homes Fund; and Bio-bean. Arthur is an Honorary Associate Professor at UCL. He is a Board Member of the Museum of the Home; and Fast Forward 2030. He is co-author of the forthcoming book Roadkill: Unveiling the True Cost of Our Toxic Relationship with Cars (Wiley, 2025).
Ville Takala
Lecturer
UCL Institute for Global Prosperity
Ville Takala is a sociologist whose research explores the digital future of the state, particularly as it relates to the affordances of new digital data sources. In addition, his research investigates novel policy instruments, such as challenge prizes, and their capacity to drive challenge-driven innovation in the public sector.
People Powered Prosperity
UCL Institute for Global Prosperity is participating at the London Design Biennale at Somerset House from 5-29 June with a pavilion titled 'People Powered Prosperity'.
People Powered Prosperity explores the multidimensional aspects of prosperity through a citizen science research approach, highlighting how people from different localities and backgrounds can be involved in co-designing innovative pathways to improved livelihoods, secure environments, democratic voice, healthy cities and climate resilient communities.
Our new approach of working directly with trained citizens to rethink prosperity with and for communities brings new forms of knowledge creation, innovative solutions and creative tools for businesses and policymakers to tackle today's most pressing issues with improved results; allowing citizens to power the transformations we need.
The pavilion is designed by Ab Rogers, a London-based designer known for unique projects that are rich with colour and energy, while providing functionality and subtlety in design.
About Fast Forward 2030
Fast Forward 2030 UK is a London-based community of impact entrepreneurs that hosts bi-monthly events to support innovation and peer-to-peer learning for entrepreneurs committed to the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). We aim to inspire sustainable prosperity by bringing together entrepreneurs, investors, sustainability professionals, students, and academics.
About London Design Biennale
London Design Biennale returns to Somerset House from 5 - 29 June 2025 for its 5th edition. Featuring world-leading design, innovation, creativity and research by up to 50 exhibitors from across the globe, London Design Biennale showcases today’s designers and ideas that will change our world. The three-week international exhibition features curated installations accompanied by a programme of events, thought-leadership talks, performances and workshops. This year’s theme ‘Surface Reflections’ by Artistic Director Dr Samuel Ross MBE, explores how ideas are fuelled by both our internal experiences and external influences.
About UCL Institute for Global Prosperity
We are redesigning prosperity for the 21st century, changing the way we conceive and run our economies, and reworking our relationship with the planet. Our vision is to help build a prosperous, sustainable, global future, underpinned by the principles of fairness and justice, and allied to a realistic, long-term vision of humanity's place in the world. Find out more ►
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Ticketing
Pre-booking essential
Cost
Free
Open to
All
Availability
Yes