Nick Foster

Born and raised in Derby, Nick Foster is a designer now based in California. Through a rich career spanning over 25 years, he has worked at the intersection of design and technology within globally recognised organisations including Google, Sony, Nokia and Dyson. Nick is considered a pioneering figure in the field of Futures Design, and in 2021 was awarded the title ‘Royal Designer for Industry’ in recognition of his significant contributions to the discipline.

In his most recent capacity as the Head of Design at Google X, Nick led a diverse team of designers, researchers, strategists and prototypers in the development of world-changing technology projects, from brain-controlled computer interfaces and learning robots to stratospheric internet balloons and neighbourhood-scale nuclear fusion. Despite this ambitious field of work, Nick is widely recognised for his approachable, down-to-earth and occasionally irreverent style. His work seeks to identify everyday, mundane, human moments in emerging technologies, making them relatable and understandable, rather than escapist and unattainable.

Nick is an accomplished public speaker and has delivered keynote addresses in cities all over the world to audiences both large and small. He accepted an honorary position at the Royal College of Art in London, works as an advisor to the United Nations Development Program and has tutored at universities across Europe, Asia and the USA. Nick was named ‘Young Engineer for Britain’ by the British Engineering Council in 1991. In 2001, he earned his master’s degree from the Royal College of Art and in 2018 he was made a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts.