In the conversation, Derek shares insights from our work at With, including collaborations with purpose-driven leaders like Nobel Peace Prize winner Maria Ressa. Dereks shares a grounded perspective on how businesses — from early-stage startups to large institutions — can integrate co-design into their processes to build better, more equitable outcomes.

What you’ll hear in the episode:

• Defining Socially-Centered Design What it is, why it matters, and how it shapes everything we do at With.

• The Role of Co-Design How inviting diverse voices into the design process leads to stronger innovation.

• Balancing Speed with Inclusion Practical strategies for integrating co-design while maintaining momentum.

• DEI as a Business Advantage How diversity, equity, and inclusion aren’t side initiatives — they’re central to success.

• Lessons from the Field What we’ve learned working on global social-impact projects — and what that means for local businesses.

• A Final Takeaway Why embedding inclusivity into your innovation strategy is more urgent (and more valuable) than ever.