Meet the team

Andreas is a Design Researcher with a bachelor’s in Textile Design from the National Institute of Design, Ahmedabad. He has previously worked on projects in the education and craft sector and through that realised his passion for working closely with people on projects that have real world implications. Andreas is passionate about focusing on interdisciplinary connections and holistic design methodologies in his practice rather than just applied aesthetics.

Chinmay holds a M.Des. from IDC School of Design, IIT Bombay and has a background in Mass Communication specialising in Visual Media. He has worked as a sports correspondent for NDTV and evolved into a live sports production specialist. As a Design and Consumer Research professional he has worked in various sectors such as FMCG, Automobiles, E-Commerce and Media.

Gabriela is a Portuguese holding a PG in Product & Service Innovation from the ME310 Stanford Course and a BA in Business Communication. In the past, she was involved in academia, lecturing the Stanford Design Innovation Process as part of the Teaching Team of Porto Polytechnic and overall Human-Centered Design. She coached teams working in global projects alongside corporations such as NOKIA, Generali and SONAE MC.

Gaurav holds Masters in Management and Pharmaceutical degree, Gaurav has worked in various roles across sales and marketing function in Indian and MNC’s pharmaceutical and Healthcare communication agencies. In past agency experience, Gaurav has worked on designing business solutions and providing end to end marketing support for clients in Novartis, Bayer, Pfizer, Glenmark.

Ladasha is a product design graduate from MIT Institute of Design, Pune. She has a versatile background which ranges from working as a creative director in advertising for brands such as Netflix, Bumble, Cred and Estée Lauder to name a few and to also working as a research consultant. As a research consultant she has worked across the industries of Fintech, Edu-tech and the entertainment space. Her interests lie in systems design, behavioural science & human centered design. As a researcher her aim is to identify solutions that not only keep the user at the centre of product innovation but also help businesses grow.

Neha is a Design Researcher with a background in Industrial Design. She has spent two years working in product design and development at Futuring Design in Pune. During her time there, she was involved in a variety of projects, ranging from consumer electronics to locking solutions and kitchen accessories. Neha's passion for healthcare innovation has led her to specialize in Universal Design at the National Institute of Design in Bangalore, with the aim of creating inclusive solutions. In her spare time, she enjoys sculpting forms and sketching.

Sarang Ganoo has an undergraduate degree in product design from Symbiosis Institute of Design and has a masters degree in Industrial and Strategic Design from Aalto University, Helsinki. He has worked in varied roles across different countries and startup ecosystems. In his previous role he was a Lead Service Designer at udChalo, a tech-service product for Indian Armed Forces. He has been an integral part of design teams in Designaffaris Germany,  Ensto Energy, Finland and was a facilitator at SAP apphaus - Indian Partners. On weekends he manages a thriving rooftop farm on a factory in Pune.

Shrutika holds a Master’s in Design from the MIT Institute of Design. Prior to this, she has been a part of multiple internships with OLX Group, Market Pulse, IBEN, Think Design, and SDS-India. Her interest areas are Design Research, Behavioural Sciences, Service/ Systems Thinking. Outside of work, she’ll be most likely amidst nature or indulging in some form of art.

Varada has a bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering and Post-graduate degree in Industrial Design. She started out as a designer researcher and strategist, working across industries like education, consumer electronics, surgical products, technology services. She has handled diverse projects ranging from curriculum design, applied ethnography, statistical research, CMF studies to service design. As a design practitioner, she likes to understand the human side of things, deep dive into the subject matter and bring forth insights that would create business value.

Rupika believes in using design as a tool to create value and impact. She has worked with multinationals like JWT, LG Electronics, Toshiba and Whirlpool translating user needs and business goals into rich and delightful experiential solutions. She is a design graduate from National Institute of Design, Ahmedabad and is currently perusing Master’s in Sociology to deep dive into the intersection of technology, design, and human behavior.

Ankita is a Graphic Design graduate from the National Institute of Design, Ahmedabad. As a Design professional, she has worked on digital products in sectors of finance & banking, travel, and enterprise design. Ankita is a meticulous creator who enjoys creating experiences that make the digital world more human.

Anu is a Visual Communication graduate from Srishti School of Art, Design and Technology, Bangalore. She also attended a Summer Residency in Illustration and Visual Storytelling at SVA, New York. She has worked in publishing, real estate, hospitality and health-tech in the past. Anu is passionate about building brands with heart, while exploring the intersection of graphic design and user interface to create meaningful experiences.

Divya is a Graphic Design graduate from the MIT Institute of Design, Pune. In her previous role, she worked on crafting brand strategies and visual identities for businesses in the sectors of education, fashion, FMCG etc. Divya would describe her design process as visually exploratory and curious while being driven by clear reasoning and strong foundational research.

Neeraja holds an undergraduate degree in visual communication from Rachana Sansad College of Applied Arts and Crafts and a masters degree in Communication Design from the University of Arts, London. She has previously worked with a number of clients across lifestyle, hospitality and wellness industries in India and abroad and ran her own design studio in Mumbai. With a very keen interest in food systems and food futures, Neeraja is passionate about exploring the intersection of design and research.

Omkar is a formally trained graphic designer from MIT, Pune. He has worked with multinational agencies & design studios on various brands like Airtel, Cipla, Micromax, Paradise, TCS, Yardley; and also helped build startups. His approach to design is anchored in the belief that ‘Design is effective when it’s simple and meaningful’ His passions lie beyond design, he is a flag bearer for foodies and ironically an after-hours gym freak.

Shubha has academic as well as industry experience to fuel her passion for Design Thinking and Cognition. She has worked with Domino’s Pizza,UK, Cognizant,Titan,CIIE-IIM Ahmedabad. She has also been a Researcher at NID, faculty at Whistling Woods and MIT-Ujjain. She holds a degree in Computer Science Engineering & Master’s in Game design from NID. Shubha has attended Burg Giebichenstein, Germany, as an exchange student. She has a keen interest in illustrations and game-based learning.

Soham is a UX Designer, passionate about solving problems with a design thinking approach. Learning how to continuously humanize problems and create meaningful, cohesive end-to-end product experiences is something he strive towards everyday. He completed his B.Tech in Computer Science Engineering and started career at TCS. Since then, he has worked extensively on designing and developing B2B product experiences for multiple clients from the telecom domain; alongside various gigs in the sports media design industry before joining Studio 5b.

"Design is about empowering people", is a credo Vipul strongly abides by. He’s a Master’s graduate in Industrial Design from MITID Indore-Avantika University and a design research practitioner. He brings with him a gamut of professional experience from the fields of automotive, design consulting, industrial, and healthcare design. He is a believer in creating positive impact through empathetic and meaningful design interventions. Outside of design, you can often find him touring on his motorcycle, exploring India’s distant borders, embracing its culture and human connections.