Drawing on research from the Design Innovation Institute Shanghai and the D. Transformer Incubator, this sharing session will explore the intersection of design, technology, and business in shaping novel entrepreneurial frameworks. By analyzing open-source collaboration, community crowdfunding, and social innovation, the lecture will guide us in co-creation and illustrate how interdisciplinary approaches can forge impactful and sustainable enterprise blueprints.
We look forward to your attendance!
Time: 6:00-8:00 PM, Nov 20, 2024
Venue: LIB 2001
Reimagining Entrepreneurship: A Fusion of Design, Tech and Business
Only with novelty and creativity can design truly shine. In this event, Zhang Jie will share how she integrates creativity and technology to leverage their business value. As the Strategic Development Director at the Design Innovation Institute Shanghai (DIIS) and head of the D. Transformer incubator, she is leading efforts to empower startups focused on AI, green technology, and health innovation.
Guest Info
Jie Zhang
Director of D. Transformer Incubator
Director of Strategy & Development at Design Innovation Institute Shanghai (DIIS)
Jie Zhang is an entrepreneur at the intersection of technology, design and business. She is currently the Director of Strategy & Development at Design Innovation Institute Shanghai (DIIS), leads the D. Transformer incubator, and chairs one of Shanghai’s Trademark & Brand Entrepreneurship Centers and a City-level Youth Innovation Laboratory. As part of the founding team of DIIS, Zhang is responsible from strategy, ecosystem development, to content production and public affairs, having built the institute’s global innovation transformation ecosystem from scratch. There, she founded D. Transformer, a startup incubation platform covering pioneering industries such as artificial intelligence, ESG, health technology, etc. providing in-depth support for a community of startups.
Zhang is also an award-winning architect, having served as the China GM of the world-renowned design firm, where she led projects totaling more than 1-million-sqm in urban landmarks and regeneration. Her design work has been awarded by Red Dot Best of the Best, AIA, IIDA, and featured by FastCompany, Bloomberg Citylab, Domus, among others. Zhang is a graduate of Yale University and MIT. She is a frequent design juror at leading academic institutions including MIT, Hong Kong University and China Academy of Art.
Design Innovation Institute Shanghai (DIIS)
Design Innovation Institute Shanghai (DIIS) is a non-profit advanced research institution dedicated to creating world-leading design innovation with real-world impact.
As design assumes its place as the third pillar of innovation alongside technology and market dynamics, DIIS was founded in 2020 with the overarching objective of establishing a world-class engine for design-driven innovation transformation.
Situated in the recently restored 90-year-old heritage building formerly known as the Lester Institute of Technical Education, DIIS is nestled in the North Bund CBD area of Shanghai.
Within the DIIS framework, an array of innovative platforms has been created, including industry joint laboratories, design master studios, D.Transformer incubator, Design Universe event platform, and the Frontier Design Prize, an international accolade. Collectively, they serve as magnets for international talent and a thriving business ecosystem, driving the transformative progress of diverse industries while contributing to high-quality economic development.
