When I first joined Platformation Labs as a Design Intern in April 2020, I was still navigating design school amidst a global pandemic. Little did I know that this role would evolve into one of the most transformative experiences of my early career. The Challenge: Making Complex Platform Economics Accessible Working with Platformation Labs meant diving deep into the world of platform economics and ecosystem thinking. The challenge was significant: how do you take complex theoretical frameworks about platform business models and transform them into visually engaging, digestible content that speaks to Fortune 500 CEOs and senior policy leaders? This wasn't just about making pretty graphics. It was about reimagining tough-to-process information and creating design systems that could consistently communicate sophisticated business concepts with clarity and impact. Building a Remote Design Team During the Pandemic One of my most significant achievements was building and leading a remote...

Four years ago, I embarked on a project to merge the principles of design and nature. The goal was simple: to bring agriculture back into the city, not as a chore, but as an act of conscious creation. The old way of growing, bound by soil, space, and a constant need for attention, was a barrier. And an opportunity to apply technology to a timeless problem.  Hydroponics became the core principle. It’s a method of growing plants in water, untethered from earth. This isn't just a different technique; it's a fundamental shift. It demands 90% less water, redefines space by going vertical, and accelerates growth. The insight was this: the challenge wasn't just lack of space, but a lack of intelligent systems. The Intersection of Technology and Nature The project’s essence was a smart growing system, a fusion of hardware and software. The hardware, a compact ceramic tower, housed sensors and pumps. The software, a mobile app, was the interface to this living system. This wasn’t ab...