Dr. Steffen P. Walz

Dr. Steffen P. Walz is an award-winning designer, innovator, and entrepreneur exploring synergies between technology, mobility, interactive entertainment, and resilience. He recently co-founded Dirigent Intelligence GmbH, an AI-centric hardware and software startup based in Berlin and The Hague, where he serves as Co-CEO. Previously, Steffen held senior innovation roles at Volkswagen Group, was Group Managing Director at icon group GmbH (WPP), and served as a Full Professor of Design Innovation and Game Design at universities in Australia. Steffen founded and led the Games & Experimental Entertainment Laboratory (GEElab) at RMIT University, co-developed pioneering mixed-reality experiences such as Audi-spinoff Holoride, and co-edited "The Gameful World" (MIT Press, 2015). He is a Visiting Professional at Carnegie Mellon University's Entertainment Technology Center, a Fellow at the University of St.Gallen's Executive School, and, by way of the partnership Infinite Digital GmbH, actively supports ventures focused on positive societal impact.