01
People
& Society
Increasing well-being, positive behaviour, ease of use, delight, health and overall satisfaction.
Design to improve people’s health, behaviour and life.
Mission
Technology nobody understands, can use or loves is not worth much.
Technology innovations and new business ventures are moving faster than ever — yet the consequences for people, economies and environments are unclear. Design is what turns a capability into something people can understand, use and want.
The position
Designing for real innovation starts and ends with people — not technology.
Engineering‑First→People‑First
Technology‑First→Experience‑First
Why we do it
Innovation is about people.
We empower and inspire creatives to reach their full potential.
We believe in the power of creativity to drive positive change for people, business, science and the planet through innovation.
Ignite creativity to drive innovation with positive impact.
The host
Sebastian Gier has been interviewing thought leaders for over 10 years.
Since the first episode — hosting community discussions around the world on the future of digital innovation, and asking the people building it what they actually think.
He founded DDX so designers and the people building digital innovation could exchange what they know and grow their impact together.
It started with a podcast and a microphone in Hyderabad: an interview series with design and product leaders, recorded wherever the next conversation happened to be. The questions kept outgrowing the format, so the conversations moved into a room. Today he runs DDX out of Munich, hosts every edition on stage himself, and spends the rest of the year on the phone with the people who will be on it next.
What people say
Praised by global design leaders.
“Sebastian displays a selfless propensity to dedicate a tremendous amount of personal resources towards connecting people across industry, and creating pathways for members of the design community to become better designers.”
“Pouring his heart and soul into DDX, Sebastian is enabling sharing of a wealth of knowledge and learnings from design industry’s top leaders across sectors. He has created a platform that inspires the next generation of designers and uplevels conversations around design’s value and impact.”
“Tackling complex topics that range a wide variety of expertise, Sebastian’s events and content are a key element to push the design community to evolve, both in the educational and professional sectors. I look forward to continuing to learn from his design thought leadership.”
The format
Designed to level you up.
01 — Intimate by design
A room, not a hall. On purpose.
We intentionally keep every edition small enough for real conversations, not conference chaos.
02 — Curated, not crowded
Handpicked for substance and story.
World-class speakers chosen for what they have actually built. No sales pitches, no fluff.
03 — Built for connection
You will meet the right people.
From guided networking to interactive sessions, every detail is crafted so the room works for you.
The loop
Think. Innovate. Repeat.
What does impact mean?
Four places where design lands.
Creatives play a pivotal role in driving innovation and fostering positive change in the world.
People
02
Business
& Growth
Supporting outcomes that foster business growth and product KPIs, which improve economic and job market conditions.
Design to accelerate growth and economy.
03
Science
& Technology
Exploring new technologies, balancing risks and benefits, and supporting science in shaping future use cases.
Design to foster technology and science progress and adoption.
04
Planet
& Sustainability
Improving the planet by driving innovations that make businesses more sustainable and support the environment.
Design to reduce negative impact on the planet through humanity.
Design + X
The world is more designable than ever.
Design is an accelerator. It turns innovation potential into innovation impact by teaming up with subject matter experts.
Past editions
Munich has hosted DDX every May since 2024. The last one was DDX Munich 2026 — 350 guests at Microsoft Deutschland, with speakers from BMW, adidas, SAP, Figma, Miro and DeepL.
DDX in the press
“Designers, strategists and diverse thinkers come together to bridge the gap between groundbreaking tech and the heart of what truly matters: people.”
Paqui Lizana — Global Head of Technology Strategy, IKEA
Come and build it with us.
The 2026–27 tour
Seven cities. One community.
Tokyo
Fri, 12 Feb 2027
Tickets →
Dubai
Early 2027
Tickets →
New York
June 2027
Announcement soon
San Diego
Thu, 16 Sep 2027
Tickets →
Miami
Fri, 24 Sep 2027
Tickets →
