Jury - Accelerator

Redesign Everything Challenge - Jury Discussions

Redesign Everything Challenge - Jury Discussions

Redesign Everything Challenge - Jury Discussions

Redesign Everything Challenge - Jury Discussions

Redesign Everything Challenge - Jury Discussions

MEET THE JURY

The winners of the What Design Can Do Accelerator will be selected by a curated jury of leading experts in circular design, climate action, impact investment and entrepreneurship.

Through several rounds of lively discussions and in-depth evaluations, the jury will award a total of 8 winners from around the world according to four key criteria: impact, design and creativity, feasibility and scalability, and the strength of their team and network. Keep scrolling to learn more about the members of this year’s jury.

Yayra agbofah – founder & creatıve dırector The revıval

Yayra Agbofah is a creative social entrepreneur, researcher, and founder of The Revival Earth Org.,a community-led initiative tackling global textile waste in Ghana. He launched The Revival in 2018 to address the burden of fashion waste exported from the Global North to the Global South.

Operating in Kantamanto, the world’s largest secondhand market, Yayra empowers youth and women through upcycling, education, and creative storytelling. He also founded the Circularity Lab, merging education, awareness, art, and recycling to drive systemic change.

A strong advocate for education, he developed a free online course with Hopenclass and FutureLearn and collaborates with institutions like the University of Ghana, Central Saint Martins, and the London College of Fashion. An alumnus of the What Design Can Do Accelerator, he has partnered with the V&A Museum and continues to push for a more sustainable and regenerative fashion industry.

Ineke Hans – designer and Professor Design & Social Context

Ineke Hans designs furniture, products, exhibitions and spaces with content, explores new design strategies and works for clients, communities and leading international manufacturers on product typologies that fit our current social context. After Graduating at RCA London she set up her studio in Arnhem (NL) in 1998. In 2015 she moved back to London to set up London Salons, exploring: ‘The future of furniture design & the changing position of the designer’.

Since 2017 she is professor Design & Social Context at the Universität der Künste Berlin.

Borre Akkersdijk – Founder at ByBorre

Borre Akkersdijk is a textile designer who discovered his passion for textiles during his studies at the Design Academy in Eindhoven. After working at Studio Edelkoort in Paris for three years, he started his own company. In 2015, he founded Byborre, together with Arnoud Haverlag, where they specialised in knitting fabrics with unique textures, with a focus on innovation and sustainability.

Over the past six years, Byborre has grown into a company with 42 employees, with partnerships with major international brands such as BMW, Rapha and Natuzzi. In addition, Byborre has its own collection that is available worldwide in exclusive stores.

Danai Musandu – Vice President Investors Relations at HPE Growth

Danai is a Vice President Investors Relations at HPE Growth. In her role, she leads and supports the public and investor relations function. Her work entails fundraising and strategic communication.

Prior to HPE, Danai was an Investment and Investor Relations Associate at Goodwell Investments, an early-stage technology private equity firm focused on emerging markets and impact investing. Originally from Zimbabwe, Danai has various passions, from mentoring early-stage businesses to sitting on advisory boards. Danai is an advisory member of Private Equity International.

Danai holds a BCom. In Politics Philosophy and Economics and a postgraduate honours degree in Economics from the University of Cape Town. She enjoys exploring new wines and culinary experiences.

René van geer – founder at secrid

René van Geer, an industrial designer, is the co-founder of SECRID, along with his wife Marianne van Sasse van Ysselt, a fashion designer. From 1989 to 2008, they operated a design studio, creating hundreds of product designs for international clients involved in medical equipment, telecom, consumer electronics, kitchen machines, child safety seats, furniture, etc. Working for these markets, René has worked in numerous factories in Asia and Europe. This experience helped him develop a holistic approach to the design process. Since its launch in 2009, SECRID has chosen to manufacture all products as locally as possible, which means ‘made in Holland’ or as close as possible. SECRID is proud to have been a B-corp since 2021.

Lara Snatager – HEAD OF PUBLIC PROGRAMMES AT WDCD

Lara Snatager is a dedicated advocate for design and social change, with over 15 years of experience as a curator, programme maker, and producer in the cultural sector. As Head of Public Programme at What Design Can Do, she develops long-term strategic programmes, crafting themes and initiatives that explore design’s role in climate action and social innovation. Lara is known for bringing diverse voices together and fostering collaboration to create meaningful experiences that inspire action and spark imagination. Having led WDCD design challenges in the past, she has developed a sharp instinct for recognizing ideas with real potential—evaluating them not just on feasibility and impact but also on their relevance, scalability, and the commitment behind them.

Pepijn Zurburg – cofounder & co-creatıve dırector at wdcd

Pepijn Zurburg is a designer and art director. During his studies at the Utrecht School of the Arts and Sandberg Institute, Pepijn met Richard van der Laken. Together, they founded renowned visual design agency De Designpolitie, graphic design collective Gorilla, and What Design Can Do. Their work has won numerous awards, and features in the permanent collection of galleries such as Stedelijk Museum Amsterdam and MoMa New York. Working with partners and clients from KPN to Frascati Theatre, and many more. Pepijn is responsible for leadership and strategy, branding, and visual communication for everything What Design Can Do. A true all round designer with a strong hands-on approach.

Talking with Sunny Dolat and Kigge Hvid - Redesign Everything Challenge Jury Member

Here, we sit down with Sunny and Kigge to learn more about their work supporting creative entrepreneurs around the world, and what they’re still dreaming about doing in the future. We also talk about their approach to circular and life-centred design, and share a few tips for innovators at the beginning of their journey.

Behind the scenes at the Redesign Everything Jury Days

Ten experts came together in Amsterdam for two days of evaluations for the Redesign Everything Challenge. A panel of leading specialists in design, climate action, and entrepreneurship reviewed a shortlist of 33 nominees to select the most promising projects from the competition, launched by What Design Can Do and the IKEA Foundation. Read here the behind-the-scenes article to look at the rigorous selection process led by the international jury and the WDCD team.

Past winners Emy Bensdorp & Loreta Castro on the Redesign Everything Challenge

Last year’s Redesign Everything Challenge brought together an international jury, including past winners who took on new roles. Dutch designer Emy Bensdorp, a 2021 No Waste Challenge winner, joined as a jury member, while architect Loreta Castro, a 2023 Make it Circular Challenge winner, joined the Selection Committee. In this interview, they share updates on their projects, insights on circular design, and advice for future changemakers.