Vanessa
I design creative, sustainable and meaningful futures, for ourselves and our technologies
I ask questions about the future of people and technology, and use design to help them and their companies design futures that matter.
Vanessa is always on the lookout for new topics within diversity, technology, design and future strategy.
Vanessa speaks at events moderates panels, and hosts happenings both physical and virtual.
Vanessa has written articles for academia, online news sites, and on LinkedIn. Check them out here.
Dr. Vanessa Julia Carpenter is the Chief Innovation Officer at Gagarin, an experience design studio with 27 years experience creating immersive, engaging, interactive exhibitions. Here, Vanessa is leading the charge in creating climate change educational material, inspiring youths with hope and determination to debate and take climate actions. Using her PhD in Designing for Meaningfulness in Future Smart Products from AAU, Copenhagen, she challenges the status quo and explores how to facilitate personal and interpersonal self development.
Vanessa believes in being a catalyst for change and has launched the Nordic network, “Women in Hardware”, writes for TechTruster.dk and Greater Spaces at ING.dk and is founder and designer at Kintsugi Design, a design studio specializing in hardware, and creating robust futures. She is often featured as a keynote speaker and workshop holder for her ability to inspire, educate and provoke change for people who need it the most.
September 2021 - Today
Chief Innovation Officer
Gagarin, Iceland
February, 2020 - Today
CEO, Interaction & Strategic Designer
Kintsugi Design, Denmark
June 2012 - December 2019
Lead Technology Specialist
FORCE Technology, Denmark
January 2008 - December 2012
Director, Artist, Interaction Designer
illutron Collaborative Interactive Arts Studio
March, 2008 - March 2016
CEO, Experience Designer
GeekPhysical Exhibition Design
Kintsugi Design is a creative technology and design studio specializing in meaningful design and technology focusing on identity, significance, purpose in the long term.. Kintsugi is the traditional Japanese craft of repairing broken ceramics with precious metals whereby the resulting product is more beautiful than the original: the imperfection makes it perfect. Our name comes from our work with a Japanese Kintsugi Artist – where we together created “Electronic Kintsugi”. We’re repairing the cracks, and making more robust and beautiful futures.
Locations