Prof. ir. Nas, D.N.
Deborah Nas is Professor of Strategic Design for Technology-based innovation at the Faculty of Industrial Design Engineering.
Academic Background
Deborah graduated from the faculty of Industrial Design Engineering at the Delft University of Technology in 1996. After kick-starting her career at Philips and KPN, she co-founded and managed a strategic innovation agency for 16 years. Deborah worked with global and local brands on implementing new innovation processes and driving innovation forward. She currently acts as a sparring partner for senior management teams on future-proofing their organization. She is also a renowned keynote speaker on innovation and technology at public, corporate and academic events.
Deborah acts at the crossroads of Technology, Business, and Psychology. She is fascinated by consumer behaviour and why people embrace or reject technological innovations. And how, throughout history, the same arguments have been used over and over again to express fears and concerns regarding new technologies. She recently developed a set of design strategies that enable students and design professionals to apply new technologies in a way that delivers maximum value to users, resulting in higher adoption rates.
At Industrial Design Engineering, Deborah is involved in different courses, teaching students strategic design and technology-based innovation. She is also closely involved in the development of the faculty's new bachelor program.
Deborah is a driving force in various university-wide initiatives like vision teams on the societal impact of quantum technologies and innovation projects on mobility and student well-being.
Education
- 1990–1996
MSc Industrial Design Engineering with honors, Delft University of Technology
Experience
- 2019-present
Member of the supervisory board at Hardt Hyperloop, Europe’s leading hyperloop development company - 2019-present
Member of the advisory board at Bright River, a digital scaleup - 2018-present
Keynote speaker and C-level sparring partner on technology & innovation - 2015-present
Professor of Strategic design for technology-based innovation at the Faculty of Industrial Design Engineering, TU Delft - 2014–present
Board member Cre8, a social venture in 3D printing and urban manufacturing - 2002–2018
Founder and managing director of Sunidee, a strategic innovation agency - 1997–2002
Multiple positions at KPN: international consultant, business development manager, product manager - 1996–1997
New product developer, Philips Research
Specialisation
- Strategic design and technology-based innovation
- Technology adoption and resistance
- The societal impact of new technologies
Projects
Coordinator of the university-wide initiative 'Covid-19 Digital Campus'. 23 scientists from 4 faculties work together with university services to realise concepts supporting the 1.5m campus and student well-being. Projects within this initiative vary from dashboards to monitor crowds and traffic flows to chatbots measuring student well-being.
Publications

Design things that make sense
Deborah Nas
ISBN 978 90 6369 614 6
To be published in spring 2021
Quantum Internet Magazine
Result from the vision team “The quantum society”