ideaXme

Our mission is to Move the human story forward! ™ by sharing knowledge of the future. Guest interviewers ask the innovators who shape our world: Who are you and what do we need to know? Discover what's happening next across science, technology, activism and the arts and what you need to learn to take part in the future - irrespective of who or what you are! ideaXme is not just an audio podcast, it is a mentor and creator programme. Moreover, our interviews are also available in text format on our website and in video format on YouTube and Vimeo. Get involved: [email protected]

Anthony McCall Artist | Exploring SOLID-LIGHT 09/18/2023

Anthony McCall Artist | Exploring SOLID-LIGHT Neil Koenig, ideaXme Board Advisor and former Senior BBC Series Producer interviews Artist, Anthony McCall. Neil comments: In the face of today’s flood of information from the internet and social media, it can sometimes take courage to retain belief in the strength of self-generated ideas. But for some, it can pay off. As the British artist Anthony McCall explains, “there's a certain moment in any artist’s life where your own ideas become more vivid than anyone else’s, for yourself”. Anthony McCall is certainly no stranger to vivid ideas. His ground-breaking piece from 1973, “Line Describing a Cone”, has had a big impact not only on his own output, but also on the work of many other artists. After studying graphic design at Ravensbourne college in the 1960s, Anthony McCall moved to New York in the early 1970s, and he has lived and worked there ever since. He is perhaps best known for his “solid light” installations. His work has been the subject of numerous solo and group exhibitions at institutions all over the world and can be found in the collections of many major museums. In this interview with me for ideaXme, Anthony McCall talks about how he first became interested in becoming an artist, how he approaches the process of creating his works, and about his future plans, including an upcoming show at Galerie Rudolfinum in Prague, and a major exhibition which will be celebrating his work and his influence on other artists, at Tate Modern in London in summer 2024. ANTHONY McCALL BIOGRAPHY: McCall, was born St Paul’s Cray, England, in 1946. He lives and works in Manhattan. McCall is known for his ‘solid-light’ installations, a series that he began in 1973 with “Line Describing a Cone,” in which a volumetric form composed of projected light slowly evolves in three-dimensional space. More: LINKS Music: Space Heroes by MaxKoMusic Music promoted by Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported Further credits/links: Voice over for ideaXme introduction: Neil Koenig Music for ideaXme introduction. ideaXme Contact: Andrea Macdonald ideaXme's founder: [email protected] ideaXme is a global network - podcast, mentor programme and creator series. 40 countries. 12 platforms. Mission: To Move the human story forward™. Passion: Rich Connectedness™! /episode/index/show/radioideaxme/id/28063710

Recycling Plastics | People Planet Profit 08/01/2023

Recycling Plastics | People Planet Profit Neil Koenig ideaXme board advisor and former BBC Producer interviews Christina Keller, CEO Cascade Engineering. Neil comments: As worries about the health of our environment continue to grow, a big concern is the harm caused by plastic waste. Whilst intense efforts to find suitable alternatives continue, the need to recycle existing plastics is becoming ever more urgent. One business that makes extensive use of recycled materials is Cascade Engineering, a family-owned plastics manufacturer based in Michigan, which makes products for a wide range of sectors, including the automotive and furniture-making industries. Cascade’s CEO, Christina Keller, says that the company is keen to play a role in the so-called “circular economy”, in which materials can be recycled almost indefinitely. Cascade Engineering was founded in 1973 by Christina Keller’s father Fred. The enterprise is one of a growing number of businesses that are pursuing a “triple bottom line” approach: putting people and planet first, as well as profits. Ms Keller explains that, aiming for a “triple bottom line” can mean a number of different things in practice: for example, in addition to its push to increase its recycling efforts, the business also takes steps to foster an inclusive and supportive workplace, and to offer employment opportunities to as wide a range of people as possible. I met Christina Keller at this year’s Symposium, a vast annual event organised by the students of the university of St Gallen in Switzerland. In this interview with me for ideaXme, Christina Keller talks about how employing a more diverse workforce can not only benefit employers but society too, how businesses can play a vital part in the circular economy, and the challenges and rewards of running a “triple bottom line” company. LINKS: Cascade Engineering: IMAGE CREDITS: Courtesy of Cascade Engineering MUSIC: Music: Space Heroes by MaxKoMusic Music promoted by Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported Further Video credits: Video footage from Canva. Voice over for ideaXme introduction: Neil Koenig former Senior BBC @BBC producer and journalist and current ideaXme board advisor and guest interviewer. Music for ideaXme introduction: Music: Space Heroes by MaxKoMusic | Music promoted by Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported . Neil Koenig: ideaXme links: ideaXme Contact Andrea Macdonald ideaXme's founder: ideaXme is a global network - podcast on 12 platforms, 40 countries, mentor programme and creator series. Mission: To Move the human story forward™. Our passion: Rich Connectedness™! /episode/index/show/radioideaxme/id/27622938

Tanso | Power of Data to Reduce World's Carbon Footprint 07/11/2023

Tanso | Power of Data to Reduce World's Carbon Footprint Neil Koenig, ideaXme board advisor and former BBC Series Producer interviews Gyri Reiersen, Co-founder and CPO, Tanso. Neil comments: Despite countless warnings from scientists about the dangers that greenhouse gas emissions pose to our environment, it seems that many businesses have still to wake up to the gravity of the situation. “It always surprises me how little companies know about their emissions” says Gyri Reiersen. An activist, entrepreneur, and self-confessed “nerd”, she is also co-founder of Tanso, a start-up based in Munich that offers software to help industrial companies understand and manage their carbon footprint. Although Tanso was only recently founded, it has attracted support from a range of venture capital and angel investors, whilst its products are already being used by some large German industrial enterprises. I had the chance to interview Gyri at this year’s Symposium, an annual event organised by the students at the university of St Gallen in Switzerland. In this interview for ideaXme, Gyri Reiersen talks about how the idea for her start-up came about, the challenges of helping enterprises to understand the role they need to play in tackling climate change, and her optimistic belief that, if we all work together, we can solve the difficult challenges that lie ahead. Gyri Reiersen Biography: Gyri is a climate activist, co-founder, and CPO of the ClimateTech startup Tanso. Driven by the urgency and importance of mitigating climate change, Tanso aims to remove the structural barriers that hinder corporations to decarbonize. They leverage the power of data and machine learning to help industrial manufacturing companies transition towards a lower carbon economy. Tanso are a product-driven company using state-of-the-art technology and scientific research to tackle climate change and making sustainability accounting as integrated, transparent, and verifiable as financial accounting. Passionate about leveraging tech and innovation to solve society's largest issues, she recently worked on research together with TUM, ETH Zurich, and MIT using machine learning to estimate carbon storage in reforestation projects through satellite and drone imagery. As an active member of the Global Shapers, an initiative for young leaders, and other organizations, she has launched multiple initiatives to empower founders to tackle climate change, increase diversity in tech, and break the stigma around mental health. IMAGE CREDITS Portrait of Gyri Reiersen courtesy of Tanso Technologies. Video credits: Video footage from Canva. Voice over for ideaXme introduction: Neil Koenig former Senior BBC @BBC producer and journalist and current ideaXme board advisor and guest interviewer. Music for ideaXme introduction: Music: Space Heroes by MaxKoMusic | Music promoted by Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported . Neil Koenig: ideaXme links: ideaXme Founder ideaXme: Andrea Macdonald. ideaXme is a global network - podcast on 12 platforms, 40 countries, mentor programme and creator series. Mission: To share knowledge of the future. Our passion: Rich Connectedness™! /episode/index/show/radioideaxme/id/27432804

Bineta Diop | How to Protect the Connected World 06/20/2023

Bineta Diop | How to Protect the Connected World Loredana Sinardo, BBA student at University of St. Gallen interviews Mme Bineta Diop, Founder and President of Femmes Africa Solidarité (FAS), an international NGO that seeks to foster, strengthen and promote the leadership role of women in conflict prevention, management and resolution in Africa. This interview took place when ideaXme recently visited the St. Gallen Symposium. Biography of Mme Bineta Diop: Studied International Relations and Diplomacy. More than 35 years of experience in women human rights issues, led peace building initiatives, conducted teams to observe elections and facilitated women peace dialogue in Africa. Has played key role in the adoption of many instruments and programmes for women in Africa. Founder and Chair of the Board, Femmes Africa Solidarité, an NGO created in 1996. Currently, Special Envoy of the Chairperson of the African Union Commission on Women, Peace and Security (WPS). Formerly: co-chaired the civil society advisory group to the UN on Security Council Resolution 1325 (WPS); Member, African Union Commission of Enquiry on South Sudan; served on many international executive and advisory boards, such as ICRC and Centre for Humanitarian Dialogue; co-chaired the 2014 World Economic Forum on Africa. Recipient of numerous awards, including: Knighted of the French Legion d'Honneur (2013); Jacques Chirac Foundation award (2013). Recognized as one of the 100 most influential people in the world, Time Magazine (2011). Doctor Honoris Causa, UN University for Peace, Costa Rica and Middlesex University in UK. Mme Bineta Diop also sits on the global board of The Hunger Project. Femmes Africa Solidarité (FAS): FAS develop and implement programmes that fall in 4 main objectives: - Fostering, supporting and promoting women's initiatives in the prevention, management and resolution of conflicts in Africa, and for the respect of their rights; - Strengthening women's leadership capacity, including at the grassroots, to restore and maintain peace in their countries; - Engendering policies, structures, programmes and the peace process for the attainment of durable peace and human security in Africa; - Advocating at the national, regional and international levels for African women's rights and concerns, and their critical role on issues of peace and security. The Hunger Project: The Hunger Project is a global, non-profit, strategic organization committed to the sustainable end of world hunger. Their mission is to end hunger and poverty by pioneering sustainable, grassroots, women-centered strategies and advocating for their widespread adoption in countries throughout the world. Interview credit: Loredana Sinardo. Mme Bineta Diop: Loredana Sinardo: Credit: Introduction Neil Koenig: ideaXme links: ideaXme's founder Andrea Macdonald: . ideaXme ideaXme is a global network - podcast on 12 platforms, 40 countries, mentor programme and creator series. Mission: To Move the human story forward™ by sharing knowledge of the future. Our passion: Rich Connectedness™! /episode/index/show/radioideaxme/id/27205206

SANOGE Challenges the Fashion Industry | Less Waste | More Luxury 06/16/2023

SANOGE Challenges the Fashion Industry | Less Waste | More Luxury Neil Koenig, former BBC Series Producer, now ideaXme board advisor interviews Sarah Maria Nordt, founder and CEO, SANOGE. Neil comments: The fashion industry might be glamorous, but its allure comes at a cost, since it is widely regarded as being one of the world’s biggest sources of pollution. One entrepreneur who is trying to do something to improve the situation is Sarah Maria Nordt. She’s the co-founder of SANOGE, a fashion tech start-up based in Germany that aims to produce clothing in a more sustainable manner. It eschews mass production in favour of making clothes on demand. SANOGE’s website works a bit like a car configurator, with customers having the ability to modify the design of the garments they would like, which are then produced to order. The hope is that this approach will help, amongst other things, to reduce overproduction and return rates. Before launching SANOGE, Sarah Maria Nordt studied at the University of St. Gallen in Switzerland. Every year the university hosts a Symposium, a vast gathering of leaders and thinkers from all over the world, and I caught up with Sarah Maria at this year’s event. In this interview with me for ideaXme, Sarah Maria Nordt talks about how she came to found her enterprise, the daunting challenge of making the fashion industry a more sustainable one, and her hopes and dreams for the future. SARAH MARIA NORDT - BIOGRAPHY Sarah Maria Nordt is the Founder and CEO of SANOGE, a FashionTech venture founded in 2019. SANOGE's mission is to revolutionize the textile supply chain by turning customers into co-designers of their highly individualized pieces of apparel and using an AI-based on-demand production approach to eliminate overproduction, reduce return rates, and redefine sustainability in the fashion industry. Prior to founding SANOGE, Nordt studied Business Administration and General Management at the University of St. Gallen, and worked in management consulting with a focus on digital transformation. In addition to her work at SANOGE, she is currently pursuing a PhD in Entrepreneurial Finance at the University of St. Gallen. Sarah Maria Nord/SANOGE: Neil Koenig: ideaXme links: ideaXme's founder Andrea Macdonald: ideaXme ideaXme is a global network - podcast on 12 platforms, 40 countries, mentor programme and creator series. Mission: To Move the human story forward™ by sharing knowledge of the future. Our passion: Rich Connectedness™! /episode/index/show/radioideaxme/id/27167259

Challenges and Opportunities of Quantum Computing | Dr Jan Goetz, Co-founder IQM 06/12/2023

Challenges and Opportunities of Quantum Computing | Dr Jan Goetz, Co-founder IQM Neil Koenig, former BBC Series Producer, now ideaXme board advisor and interviewer, in conversation with Dr Jan Goetz, Co-founder IQM at The St Gallen Symposium. Proponents of quantum computing claim that the technology has much to offer, saying that it promises to revolutionise many aspects of our lives such as scientific research, finance, healthcare and much more. So far, the field has been dominated by US-based giants like IBM, but now a new wave of start-ups is emerging in Europe. One of these is IQM Quantum Computers, based in Finland. At the recent Symposium at the University of St Gallen in Switzerland, I caught up with IQM’s CEO, Dr. Jan Goetz. In this interview with me for ideaXme, Jan Goetz talks how he first became in quantum computing, the incredible benefits he believes that the field can offer, and how best to navigate the risks and challenges that lie ahead. JAN GOETZ - BIOGRAPHY Jan Goetz is a quantum physicist and co-founding CEO of IQM Quantum Computers (IQM), building next-generation quantum computers. He is on the Board of the European Innovation Council (EIC), the European Quantum Industry Consortium QuIC, a member of the German Federal Economic Senate (Bundeswirtschaftssenat), and a Digital Leader and Global Innovator at the WEF. In 2020, Capital magazine selected him as one of 40 under 40 in Germany, and he received the prestigious entrepreneurship award from the KAUTE Foundation. Mr. Goetz holds a PhD from TU Munich, where he did his doctorate on superconducting quantum circuits, and worked as a Marie-Curie Fellow in Helsinki at Aalto University, where he holds the title of docent. IMAGE CREDITS: Portrait of Jan Goetz: courtesy of IQM Quantum Computers. Jan Goetz: Interview credits, Neil Koenig: ideaXme links: ideaXme ideaXme founder: Andrea Macdonald ideaXme is a global network - podcast on 12 platforms, 40 countries, mentor programme and creator series. Mission: To share knowledge of the future. Our passion: Rich Connectedness™! /episode/index/show/radioideaxme/id/27117693

Drive Global Feminism | Defend Democracy and Human Rights | Kristina Lunz 06/05/2023

Drive Global Feminism | Defend Democracy and Human Rights | Kristina Lunz Neil Koenig, former BBC series producer, now ideaXme board advisor and interviewer, talks with Kristina Lunz, Co-founder Centre For Feminist Foreign Policy. The battle of women for equality has been underway for centuries. But campaigners believe the rewards of success would be great; as Emily Venturi, a speaker at the 1878 International Congress of Women's Rights in Paris put it, “the world would be transformed”. Today, the push continues. One area where advocates believe progress is being made is in the field of foreign policy. Kristina Lunz is an entrepreneur, author and activist. She is also co-founder of the Centre for Feminist Foreign Policy. I caught up with her at this year’s Symposium, an annual event organised by the students of the University of St. Gallen in Switzerland. In this interview with me for ideaXme, Kristina Lunz talks about the long history of the struggle for women’s rights, how a feminist approach could transform the practice of foreign policy, and the reasons why she believes that a world where women had more say in how it was run would be a better place. KRISTINA LUNZ - BIOGRAPHY Kristina Lunz is co-founder and co-director of the Centre for Feminist Foreign Policy, an award-winning human rights activist and former advisor to the German Foreign Office. She was named one of the 30 under 30 (in Europe and DACH) by Forbes, is Handelsblatt/BCG "Thought Leader 2020", Focus Magazine "100 Women of the Year 2020", and was awarded "Young Elite - Top 40 under 40" by Capital Magazine, Additionally, she is an Atlantik Brücke Young Leader, Ashoka Fellow as well as a BMW Foundation Responsible Leader. Her book "The Future of Foreign Policy is Feminist" was published by Econ/Ullstein Verlag in February 2022. She holds a Bachelor's degree in psychology, as well as a Master's degree in global governance and ethics from University College London and another Master's degree from the University of Oxford in Global Governance and Diplomacy. After graduation, she worked for the United Nations in Myanmar and for an NGO in Colombia, among others. Kristina Lunz has (co-)initiated several activist campaigns such as "No means No" and a campaign against sexism in the Bild newspaper. Centre For Feminist Foreign Policy: A research, advocacy, and consulting organisation dedicated to promoting Feminist Foreign Policy across the globe. IMAGE CREDITS Portraits of Kristina Lunz: courtesy of the Centre for Feminist Foreign Policy Kristina Lunz: Neil Koenig: ideaXme links: ideaXme ideaXme is a global network - podcast on 12 platforms, 40 countries, mentor programme and creator series. Mission: To share knowledge of the future. Our passion: Rich Connectedness™! /episode/index/show/radioideaxme/id/27046677

Australia's World First In Artificial Intelligence | Stela Solar, Director of National AI Centre, CSIRO Australia 05/30/2023

Australia's World First In Artificial Intelligence | Stela Solar, Director of National AI Centre, CSIRO Australia Andrea Macdonald, founder of ideaXme interviews Stela Solar, Director of National AI Centre, CSIRO Australia. They talk of "Australia's world first" initiative to develop, roll out and manage AI and how Stela Solar leads it. Biography Stela Solar is the Director of the National Artificial Intelligence Centre, hosted by CSIRO's Data61. In this role, Stela is focused on building value for Australian people, businesses and the country, through use of Artificial Intelligence. Over the past 15 years, Stela has cultivated expertise in capturing new revenue opportunities presented by emerging technologies and business model transformation. Stela is passionate about removing barriers to positive technology adoption and engagement. She leverages her broad experiences across business development, strategy, ecosystem development, marketing and product management to inform her insights surrounding cross-organizational factors affecting an organization’s ability to capture an advantage. Prior to CSIRO, Stela most recently held the position of Global Director of AI Solutions Sales and Strategy at Microsoft, and before that was with channel partners Ingram Micro, Express Data, and web security startup M86. Stela has recently returned to Australia from 7 years in the US technology industry. She has a Masters of Interaction Design and Electronic Arts from University of Sydney, and a Bachelor of Commerce from the University of NSW. Outside of work, Stela enjoys competitive sailing and plays cello and piano. Image credits: Stela Solar portrait: TBA Stela Solar and the National AI Centre CSIRO, Australia and RAIN Links: ideaXme links: ideaXme ideaXme is a global network - podcast on 12 platforms, 40 countries, mentor programme and creator series. Mission: To share knowledge of the future. Our passion: Rich Connectedness™! /episode/index/show/radioideaxme/id/26985645

Data Centre On The Moon To Fuel Human Progress 05/26/2023

Data Centre On The Moon To Fuel Human Progress Neil Koenig, former BBC Producer/Director and now ideaXme board advisor interviews Chris Stott, Founder, CEO and Chair of Lonestar Data Holdings Inc. Neil comments: Space entrepreneurs often have grand visions. As the billionaire Elon Musk explained, in a BBC Radio 4 documentary I produced some 15 years ago, his dream is to help mankind become a space-faring civilisation by lowering the cost of interplanetary travel. Today, Mr Musk is making progress, as his company SpaceX continues to build ever bigger rockets and win new customers. And according to fellow entrepreneur Chris Stott, there has indeed been a dramatic fall in the cost of space transport, largely because of the work that SpaceX and its rivals have been doing. As a result, many opportunities for new businesses have emerged. Chris Stott has long been fascinated by space, and he has worked in the industry throughout his career; his wife Nicole is a former NASA astronaut. He now has an audacious plan: to put data centres on the Moon. It sounds like a crazy idea, but Mr Stott is deadly serious. He says that, because the costs of space travel have come down so much, the project is now eminently feasible. In this interview with me for ideaXme, Chris Stott talks of his passion for space, why he thinks it is vital for human society to have data backups in places beyond Earth, and why he believes that the survival of human civilisation depends on mankind successfully venturing into space. Official biography Experienced Chief Executive Officer with a demonstrated history of profitably working in the space, satellite, and telecommunications industries consistently delivering shareholder value. Skilled in Nonprofit Organizations, Corporate Social Responsibility, Business Planning, Analytical Skills, and Innovation Management. Strong entrepreneurship professional with a MSS focused in Space Sciences from International Space University. Multi Award winning Documentary Film Maker and Executive Producer. Lonestar Data Holdings Inc. Lonestar has been founded by a proven team of experts from the Cloud and Space verticals to pioneer a future for data at the edge for all of us. Our mission is to apply abundance thinking and exponential technologies to the exploration of the Moon and the endless possibilities of lunar storage for the human race. Lonestar's vision is fueled by remarkable investors led by Scout Ventures, 2 Future Holdings, Seldor Capital, the Veteran Fund. Irongate Global Capital, Atypical Ventures, and Kittyhawk Ventures. Chris Stott and Lonestar Links: Neil Koenig: ideaXme links: ideaXme ideaXme is a global network - podcast on 12 platforms, 40 countries, mentor programme and creator series. Mission: To share knowledge of the future. Our passion: Rich Connectedness™! /episode/index/show/radioideaxme/id/26960715

Shahzia Sikander | Havah | To Breathe. Air. Life 04/21/2023

Shahzia Sikander | Havah | To Breathe. Air. Life Neil Koenig, former BBC Producer/Director and now ideaXme board advisor interviews artist Shahzia Sikander. Neil Koenig comments: One aim of the ideaXme series is to Move the human story forward™. Is that something that art can help with? The artist Shahzia Sikander believes it can: “art is something that we learn to tell stories with. It's a means, a catalyst, but it also is how you are in pursuit of your own truth or a broader truth” she explains, “but then in that journey, what happens is how you negotiate a place in the world for future generations”. Shahzia Sikander was born in Pakistan and has lived and worked in New York since the 1990s. She has created works in many different forms, from miniatures to animation, sculpture and more. Her first major public art commission, “Havah..to breathe, air, life”, is currently on display in Madison Square Park in the heart of New York City. It includes some dramatic pieces, such as an 18 foot tall sculpture in the centre of the park, and another 8 foot high figure on the roof of a nearby courthouse, where it joins some existing works The show is on view until June 2023, after which it will move on to Houston. In this interview with ideaXme board advisor Neil Koenig, Shahzia Sikander talks about growing up and studying art in Pakistan, her interests in exploring notions of authenticity, assimilation, and “interstitial spaces that are harder to define”, and the role that technology might play in the future development of art. Biography Shahzia Sikander (Pakistani, b.1969) is an artist based in New York City best known for her Mughal miniature painting as well as her Persian miniature painting. Sikander is also a performance artist, a muralist, a mixed media artist, and an installation artist. Having been taught the art of miniature painting in the traditional Pakistani technique, she adds her own modern take on the pieces, making her art unique. Religion plays a significant role in her work as well as her personal life, due to her Muslim beliefs. Through her work, she explores how Muslim women are challenged by the Western way of living. She has been known to wear a veil in public, though she did not do so prior to her relocation to the United States. She does so as an experiment to study how Westerners are affected by the tradition. Sikander attended the National College of Arts in Lahore and earned her Bachelor of Fine Arts in 1992. She studied at the Rhode Island School of Design, and in 1995 she earned her Master of Fine Arts. Sikander's first solo exhibition took place in 1993 at the Pakistan Embassy in Washington, D.C. Many solo exhibitions followed, taking her to such places as the Whitney Museum of American Art at Philip Morris in New York in 2000 and The San Diego Museum of Art in California in 2004. In addition to the solo exhibitions, Sikander also participated in many group exhibitions, including those held at the Museum of Modern Art in New York in 2005 and Museum Ludwig in Germany in 1999. Sikander received a number of awards, including the Shakir Ali Award/Kipling Award from the National College of Arts, Lahore in 1993, The Joan Mitchell Award in 1999, and the MacArthur Fellows Program in 2006. Sikander continues to impart her personal touch and some political and social views into what may be considered to be an impersonal and disciplined tradition. She continues to exhibit work all over the world and adjust her work to reflect the current status of her culture. /episode/index/show/radioideaxme/id/26613054

Celebrity Biohacker Dr Jo Zayner | Wants You To Fall In Love With Biotech 03/29/2023

Celebrity Biohacker Dr Jo Zayner | Wants You To Fall In Love With Biotech Discover why everyone "should fall in love with biotech". Find out how here: Dr. Jo Zayner, PhD, Biophysics, is a "visionary" biochemist and genetic designer. For over 15 years, they have pioneered work in the field of bioengineering, publishing a number of scientific papers on the topic. Zayner is transgender and uses they/she pronouns advocating for diversity, body autonomy and science for all. Jo received their PhD in Biophysics from the University of Chicago, winning several awards for their work on engineering proteins. They then spearheaded work on developing engineered microbes for Mars terraforming at NASA, eventually leaving to start The ODIN, a bioengineering company based in Austin, Texas that is working to make genetic engineering accessible to everyone. Zayner’s groundbreaking work in human genetic engineering and medicine has been the focus of many documentaries, including the Netflix documentary Unnatural Selection and the NYT documentary Gut Hack . They have been made fun of on Last Week Tonight with John Oliver and written about in media all over the world including The New York Times, The New Yorker, El País, Le Monde, Time, Scientific American and NPR, among others. Somehow Jo still finds time to be an accomplished artist whose work has been featured in exhibits at San Francisco MoMA, Philadelphia Museum of Art, NY MoMA, ZKM and the Smithsonian. The ODIN, team believe the future is going to be dominated by genetic engineering and consumer genetic design will be a big part of that. They are facilitating this by offering tailored biotech kits and tools that allow anyone to make unique and usable organisms at home or in a lab or anywhere. Safely of course! Twitter: @4LovOfScience Instagram: @jzayner Facebook: Video footage from Canva. Voice over for ideaXme introduction: Neil Koenig former Senior BBC producer and journalist and current ideaXme board advisor and guest interviewer. Music for ideaXme introduction: Music: Space Heroes by MaxKoMusic | Music promoted by Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported . ideaXme ideaXme is a global network - podcast on 12 platforms, 40 countries, mentor programme and creator programme. Our mission: Move the human story forward. Our passion: Rich Connectedness! Find the text version on ideaXme's website shortly Watch this interview now: /episode/index/show/radioideaxme/id/26376576

Global Space Industry |Access and Opportunity 05/30/2022

The Space Economy 05/30/2022

Rebel Jester Mystic Poet | Contemporary Persians 03/22/2022

Rebel Jester Mystic Poet | Contemporary Persians Neil Koenig, ex BBC producer and current ideaXme board advisor and guest interviewer, interviews Mohammed Afkhami, philanthropist and art collector. If asked to name a country associated with modern art, few people today might think of Iran. The collector Mohammed Afkhami is working hard to change that perception. In this age that we are in now anything that promotes misunderstood or unknown cultures is a plus. In recent years he has amassed a large collection of Iranian art. Mr Afkhami says his love of art began at an early age: “we used to visit my grandfather's house multiple times a week, and he collected Islamic art and antiquities, Western artworks, Japanese lacquer…it was a fascinating and enchanting house of treasures”. He left Iran as a young child, after the revolution at the end of the 1970s. After embarking on a successful career in finance, he eventually returned in the early 2000s. “It felt like coming home” he explains. Mohammed Afkhami was surprised and delighted by the quality of contemporary art available, even though there were only a small number of galleries open at the time in Tehran. He bought works by Sirak Melkonian and Massoud Arabshahi for around $500 apiece. Since then, the collection has grown to include works by artists such as Shirin Neshat, Monir Farmanfarmaian, Parviz Tanavoli, Abbas Kiarostami and many more. What is the art scene like in Iran today? According to Mr Afkhami it is thriving, despite the impact of sanctions. There are now hundreds of galleries in Tehran, he says: “an artist is lucky to have a show that lasts longer than a month, because there's such a backlog of artists wanting to exhibit”. In an interview with me for ideaXme, Mohammed Afkhami talks about his passion for his country’s art, how he built his collection and how he works with artists and galleries, and how art can serve to broaden understanding and break down cultural barriers. “Rebel, Jester, Mystic, Poet: Contemporary Persians—The Mohammed Afkhami Collection”, can be seen at the Asia Society in New York until May 2022. Drawing from the collection of financier and philanthropist Mohammed Afkhami, the exhibition comprises paintings, sculptures, photographs, and videos. Of the 23 participating artists, over a third live in Iran, over a third live outside of Iran, and five live in New York City. These established, mid-career, and emerging artists are working from unique vantage points, informed by a rich cultural heritage as well as more recent extensive social and political unrest in Iran. Referencing “contemporary Persians,” the exhibition’s title evokes an ancient culture that is still very much alive today. The curator of the exhibition is Dr. Fereshteh Daftari. Neil: ideaXme is a global network - podcast on 12 platforms, 40 countries, mentor programme and creator series. More soon. Get involved: https://radioideaxme.com/get-involved/ Mission: Move the human story forward™ /episode/index/show/radioideaxme/id/22527671

ALIVE Art | Marcello Dantas 02/21/2022

ALIVE Art | Marcello Dantas Neil Koenig, ex BBC producer and current ideaXme board advisor and guest interviewer, interviews curator Marcello Dantas. Are humans the only creatures who can appreciate art? Perhaps not, says Marcello Dantas. His latest project aims to create “art that’s meaningful to other species”, such as birds, bees, or bats. Mr Dantas, a curator who has worked with many internationally known artists, is no stranger to innovative ventures. In 2021, he was appointed curator of the SFER IK Museion, located in the jungle near Tulum, Mexico - and this might be his most unusual undertaking so far. SFER IK, described as “an interdisciplinary arts centre”, is an unusual structure built largely from natural materials. It’s the creation of the architect and social entrepreneur Roth, who’s also the founder of the nearby Azulik hotel. Although construction was complete by late 2019, the pandemic meant activity had to be paused. The museum is now due to relaunch in March 2022, with a show by Japanese artist Makoto Azuma, known for pioneering work with plants and flowers. The centrepiece will be a 15m high “artificial tree, made of plants” explains Mr Dantas, which will have “a common nutrient body that will feed this amazing biodiversity that will exist inside the museum.” A key goal will be to try to create what he calls “bio-agreeable” art - work in tune with its location, in this case, in the middle of a jungle in which humans are a distinct minority. It’s also one example of the kind of work that Marcello Dantas finds particularly exciting: pieces that are integrated with their setting. Another is an exhibit which will appear soon at SFER IK, by Mexican artist Hector Zamora. This will involve the use of thousands of balls, moving around inside the gallery: “it will be like you are inside of a giant pinball machine’ explains Mr Dantas. “Think about what's the most prohibited thing in a museum, apart from setting it on fire - playing football perhaps? But what if the museum plays football with you?” For Marcello Dantas, works like these point towards an exciting future for art, and away from the current approach of the modern art world, which he finds a little dispiriting: “you see a painting hanging on a white wall in Hong Kong, and then you see the same painting on a white wall in New York”. For him this model is sterile: “we want to go from sterility to fertility”. In this ideaXme interview, Marcello Dantas talks to producer, journalist and ideaXme board adviser Neil Koenig, about his career in the world of art, his plans for the SFER IK museum, and how he sees the future of art developing. Marcello Dantas is an award-winning curator and artistic director specialising in interdisciplinary practices both in and outside Brazil. He was the name behind the conception of distinct museums and cultural institutions across South America, such as the Museum of Portuguese Language; Japan House Sao Paulo and the Museum of Nature in Brazil; Museo del Caribe and Museo del Carnaval in Colombia; and the Telecommunications Museum in Argentina. In 2021, he was appointed curator of the SFER IK Museion in Tulum, Mexico. He has also curated some of the most popular solo shows of the last decade, including Ai Weiwei’s Raiz, the largest exhibition ever staged by the artist in Brazil in 2018. Marcello Dantas has also curated several solo exhibitions with some of the most influential contemporary artists of today, including Anish Kapoor, Laurie Anderson, Erwin Wurm, Michelangelo Pistoletto, Jenny Holzer, Rebecca Horn, Bill Viola and many more. Since 2014, he has become part of the curatorial board at the Vancouver Biennale, and in 2020, he was appointed curator of the 13th Biennial Mercosul that will take place in Brazil in 2022. Interview links Neil ideaXme ideaXme ideaXme is a global network - podcast on 12 platforms, 40 countries, mentor programme and creator series. More soon. Get involved: Mission: To share knowledge of the future. Our passion: Rich Connectedness™! /episode/index/show/radioideaxme/id/22201592

Art's New Frontier | ACUTE ART 02/04/2022

Art's New Frontier | ACUTE ART Neil Koenig, former Senior BBC producer and current ideaXme board advisor and guest interviewer, interviews Daniel Birnbaum, artistic director Acute Art. Chapter headings: 00:00We're here to idea everyone! To fire up your curiosity and connect you with the people and ideas that shape our world. 00:20 Welcome to ideaXme. I'm Neil Koenig. 00:25 For more than 50 years the Serpentine Gallery has shown work by some of the world's most famous contemporary artists. 00:38 This creature is a product of augmented reality. 01:04 A parallel digital version of the show has been launched in Fortnite, a hugely popular video game developed by Epic Games. 01:15 The artistic director of Acute Art and curator of the New Fiction show is Daniel Birnbaum. 38:04 At the centre of the game is a replica of the Serpentine Gallery. 38:57 I think it will be the best attended exhibition ever produced. 39:42 What kind of work is on show in both worlds? 39:52 KAWS, many people know his work. 41:15 On the Acute Art App and you can place those paintings in your living room. 41:26 It is an exhibition that lives in 3 worlds. 51:33 Maybe that hybrid world will be the future of art. 52:45 There will be entirely new kinds of platforms I think. The pandemic has had an impact on most aspects of our lives, and the art world is no exception. With many galleries and museums closed, there’s an urgent need for new ways to experience art. Technology might provide some answers, and one enterprise at the forefront of developments is Acute Art, which collaborates with artists on projects involving virtual and augmented reality. Acute Art has already worked with many high-profile artists, including Ai Weiwei, Marina Abramović, Nathalie Djurberg & Hans Berg, Olafur Eliasson, Antony Gormley, Anish Kapoor, Bjarne Melgaard, Jeff Koons and many more. The most recent project that Acute Art has been involved in is NEW FICTION, the first major solo exhibition in London by KAWS (Brian Donnelly b.1974). The show, which opened in January 2022 at the Serpentine gallery in London’s Hyde Park, includes new and recent works in physical and augmented reality. A parallel digital version of the exhibition launched simultaneously in Fortnite, the hugely popular video game developed by Epic Games. In addition, an app developed by Acute Art will “offer a bridge between the virtual and the physical worlds”. All the paintings and sculptures in the exhibition, as well as a miniature version of the entire show, will exist as AR works on the app, which can be viewed at home by audiences around the world, and shared on social media. In this interview, producer, journalist and ideaXme board adviser Neil Koenig talks to Acute Art’s artistic director, Daniel Birnbaum, about his career in the art world, the creative challenge of curating the NEW FICTION show, and what part technologies such as augmented and virtual reality might play in the future development of art. Before joining Acute Art in January 2019, Daniel Birnbaum was Director of Moderna Museet in Stockholm. Previously, he curated the 1st Moscow Biennale (2005), “Airs de Paris” (with Christine Macel) at the Centre Pompidou (2007), the 2nd Yokohama Triennial (2008), and “Zero” (with Tijs Visser) at Martin-Gropius-Bau in Berlin (2015). In 2009 he was director of the 53rd Venice Biennale. Daniel Birnbaum co-authored ‘Spacing Philosophy: Lyotard and the Idea of the Exhibition’ with Swedish philosopher and professor Sven-Olov Wallenstein published by Sternberg Press in September 2019. Video footage of Fortnite game courtesy of Epic Games © Epic Games. Video stills shot by Neil Koenig. Video and stills from Acute Art App. Links: David Birnbaum: Acute Art: Neil Koenig: ideaXme links: ideaXme ideaXme is a global network - podcast on 12 platforms, 40 countries, mentor programme and creator series. Mission: To share knowledge of the future. Our passion: Rich Connectedness™! /episode/index/show/radioideaxme/id/22022423