WDCD Live Delhi 2025: What Design Can Do Unveils Final Speaker Line-Up for Bold Climate Conversations

New Delhi, January 23, 2025: It’s official! The much-anticipated What Design Can Do (WDCD) Live Delhi 2025 is happening on March 8, 2025, and we’ve just dropped the full speaker line-up!

WDCD Live Delhi will bring together the best and brightest minds in design, innovation, and social change to come together to talk about how design can help create a more sustainable and fair world. And we’re doing it all at New Delhi’s iconic India Habitat Centre!

WDCD Live Delhi in partnership with Unbox Cultural Futures, Quicksand, and The Design Village is set to be a game-changing event, bringing global and local changemakers together to tackle the big issues – from climate change to community resilience, all through the lens of art and design.

Register via: WDCD Live Delhi 2025 Registration!

Meet the Thought Leaders Shaping the Future of Sustainability!

Leading the conversation is a line-up of creative forces, from philanthropy heads, industry leads, design innovators, to social design practitioners — working across policy, material innovation and community engagement:

• Sandeep Virmani (IN) – Founder of Hunnarshala – the architect, environmentalist, and social entrepreneur who focuses on the process of design and planning, emphasizing the idea of communities as the foundation of all building activities.
• Monish Siripurapu (IN) – Architect and founder of Ant Studio, blending cutting-edge architecture with sustainability.
• Emma Van Der Leest (NL) – Bio Designer and Researcher, blending craft, science, and innovation into new sustainable materials.
• Somnath Ray (US) – Innovator & CEO of CLIP (US), revolutionizing the future of energy and technology.
• Kailash Nadh (IN) – CTO of Zerodha and Founder of Rainmatter Foundation — a philanthropic initiative that works on climate change projects.
• Abhimanyu Singhal & Depanshu Gola (IND) – Architects & Creators behind Breathe Easy, an organisation using traditional building techniques to tackle indoor air pollution.
• Deepali Khanna (IN) – Head of The Rockefeller Foundation’s Asia Regional Office, driving transformative climate action in the region.
• Shashank Mani (IN) – Founder of Jagriti Yatra, inspiring the next generation of leaders.

And it doesn’t stop there! We’ve got Thomas Rau (NL), architect and sustainability innovator; Carla Fernandez (MX), fashion designer and champion of Indigenous textile traditions; and Namita Bhatnagar (IND), who’s exploring the next frontier of biomaterials using algae and bacteria.

“At What Design Can Do, we believe that design has the power to transform the world. WDCD Live Delhi 2025 is a unique opportunity to bring together diverse voices—from designers to innovators—to explore how we can collectively respond to the challenges of climate change. It’s time to rethink, reimagine, and redesign the systems that shape our future”, said Richard van der Laken, Co-Founder and Creative Director of What Design Can Do (WDCD).

Ayush Chauhan, Co-Founder of Unbox Cultural Futures said, “At Unbox, we’ve always believed in the power of interdisciplinary collaborations to drive meaningful change. WDCD Live Delhi 2025 offers a unique opportunity to unite designers and innovators in confronting the climate crisis with creative, people-centered solutions. As the first-ever WDCD event in South Asia, we’re excited to see how this festival will amplify diverse voices and inspire ideas for a more sustainable future of our region.”

Mridu Sahai Patnaik, Co-Founder of The Design Village said, “WDCD is a great chance to show the world the ambition of design and designers. How it connects with impact and how it is no longer just about aesthetics. It is how design can change the world, and should, do so meaningfully.”

What’s Happening at WDCD Live Delhi?

This event is going to be packed with inspiring talks, hands-on workshops, and opportunities to dive deep into creative solutions for our world’s biggest challenges. Here’s a taste of what to expect:

• Main Stage Talks: Insightful talks by global leaders who are using design to solve real-world problems.
• Parallel Programs: Exhibitions, panel discussions, and showcases exploring circularity, community-driven solutions, and tech innovations.
• Interactive Workshops: Roll up your sleeves and collaborate with others on exciting climate and social impact projects.
• After Hours Celebration: Wind down with an immersive audio-visual experience by UK-based collective D-fuse and curated performances by Eyemyth Festival.

Why Should You Be There?

If you care about our planet and want to learn from the world’s most innovative problem-solvers, WDCD Live Delhi 2025 is where you need to be. Whether you’re a designer, entrepreneur, architect, student, or just someone passionate about making a difference – this is your chance to connect, collaborate, and create the future we all want to see.

Mark Your Calendars: March 8, 2025.
Location: India Habitat Centre, New Delhi.
Register now: WDCD Live Delhi 2025 Registration