Looking back at the “European growth by Design” summit

European Growth by Design is a high-level summit focusing on how design can boost innovation and create economic growth across Europe. It was organised by the Design for Europe initiative in Brussels on the 7^th of May, 2015. 

European Growth by Design is a high-level summit focusing on how design can boost innovation and create economic growth across Europe. It was organised by the Design for Europe initiative in Brussels on the 7^th of May, 2015. 

The event was a chance to hear the European Commission’s plans to unleash Europe’s potential and ensure global competitiveness (also) via design. It was also an opportunity to learn first-hand from business leaders the key challenges facing European businesses when innovating for growth and how design can be a strategic enabler to boost innovation processes. Influential design personalities like Prof. Lou Yongqi (Dean, College of Design & Innovation, Tongji University) underlined the importance for European designers to connect to other fields and professionals from other continents. “Sharing is the new having”, a motto proposed by Ineke Dezentjé Hamming-Bluemink (President of FME-CWM) during her speech, seduced many of the over 200 people converged in Brussels to contribute to this event.

The role of social innovation was passionately presented by Ezio Manzini who invited urban designers to reflect upon the question: “How can children play safely on streets in contemporary cities?” as an opportunity to challenge the way we approach innovation development in urban spaces. Keynote speakers like Kerstin Jorna (DG Internal Market, Industry, Entrepreneurship & SMEs, EC) and Deborah Dawton (CEO, Design Business Association) drew special attention to the role of user-centred innovation and co-creation as key factors “to build innovative solutions, not products”.

We appreciated this design full-immersion, atmosphere of collaboration among attendees as well as the importance given to user empowerment throughout the event.