Gill Wildman

Director

Upstarter

Speaker Biography

A strategic designer, Gill has been working in the fields of technology innovation, new product development, and capacity building for 20 odd years.

As Director of Upstarter over the past 10 years she has de-risked investments in micro business and creative startups using design approaches. Her current R&D proposition, Hopeful Finance, reveals the funding gap for creative business and explores potential new forms of investment.

Her work has consistently engaged with city contexts, linking creative startups and regeneration in Pittsburgh, London and Bristol.

She has designed and delivered Upstarter’s purposeful creative business thinking to the Clwstwr programme, Bristol + Bath Creative R+D, West of England Combined Authority’s current Create Growth programme, Creative Scale Up and Creative Sector Growth Programme, Black South West Network’s first Social Enterprise Incubator and South West Creative Technology Network.

For Plot the strategic design innovation consultancy her clients included BBC, Microsoft, Nokia, IKEA, Unboxed, Vastint as well as smaller organisations and companies.

Her expertise lies in designing and facilitating innovation, research, engagement projects and programmes.

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