NICK FOSTER

‘Nick Foster is one of the world’s foremost leaders in speculative design’
- FORTUNE MAGAZINE-

Nick Foster RDI (Royal Designer for Industry) is a designer, creative leader and futurist based in California. He has worked at the intersection of technology and design within globally recognised organisations such as Google, Sony, Nokia, and Dyson. He is currently engaged in a confidential project with Apple.

Nick has established himself as a pioneering figure in the field of Futures Design. In 2021, he was awarded the title ‘Royal Designer for Industry' in recognition of his significant contributions to this field – the highest accolade for a British Designer.

Most recently, Nick served as Head of Design at Google X, Google’s top-secret innovation lab, where groundbreaking ideas came to life. He led a multi-disciplinary team of researchers, strategists, and designers, driving the development of visionary technology projects aimed at transforming the world.

He is known for his approachable, down-to-earth and occasionally irreverent vision work, which explores everyday moments from emergent futures. For over a decade, Nick was a partner at The Near Future Laboratory, the seminal futures collective which developed the practice of Design Fiction, and published 'The Manual of Design Fiction' in 2022.

In addition to his professional pursuits, Nick dedicates significant time to education and advising. In 2020 he accepted an honorary role as a Visiting Professor at the Royal College of Art in London, he is an advisor to the United Nations Development Program, and he frequently lectures and tutors students at colleges and universities across Europe, Asia and the USA.

Born in Derby in the UK, a city known for its contributions to the Industrial Revolution and the development of the jet engine, Nick was twice named 'Young Engineer for Britain' by the British Engineering Council. He holds a Master’s degree from the Royal College of Art and is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts.

achievements

Former Head of Design for Google X, their Moonshot Factory.

In 2021, he was awarded the highest accolade for a British designer, 'Royal Designer for Industry'.

Twice named "Young Engineer for Britain" by the British Engineering Council.

Co-author of 'The Manual of Design Fiction'.

Nick has held roles at Google, Dyson, Nokia and Seymour Powell.

talks

• Nike, U.S 2023

• Harvard + Stanford MBA Climate Summit 2023

• Edmond de Rothschild Foundation, Tel Aviv 2022

• In conversation with Aldo Cibic, Shanghai 2022

• BMW Designworks, L.A 2022

• IKEA Digital Days, Copenhagen 2021

• Google, San Francisco 2020

thought pieces

The Next Web - Why the future won’t look like a sci-fi movie

Medium - Designing for the Unknown

Medium - Could, should, might, shouldn't

Medium - Designing for the unknown

The Alpine Review - A short essay on 3D printing