What is it?
A one-day event, open to all people interested in collaborating and co-creating for social impact, to engage in multi-disciplinary collaboration to design, iterate and refine impactful solutions to address social and environmental issues.
The first edition was in 2022 and we already count with three editions with two different partners. Our intention is to continue to have at least 1 Design Jam per year, strengthening this project as an impactful platform that drives social innovation.
Testimonials
“The feedback we got is very valuable to the project. In particular, the point about building a story is really interesting and something we never really thought about, as we have previously focused on describing the business model and the product when presenting, rather than building up a story around the problem and our solution.” (NOVA SBE student)
“As design students, we don’t usually think about how to make the idea viable. We never think about business models. The questions and feedback we receive today force us to think of our idea in a different way. We think it will help us implement it.” (FAUL Student)
Editions
Design Jam for Impact
April 11, 2026
Join us for our 5 edition of the DESIGN JAM FOR IMPACT organized by the DESIS Lab @ Nova SBE and the DESIS Lab @ FAUL. This is an amazing opportunity to engage in multi-disciplinary collaboration to design, iterate and refine impactful solutions to address social and environmental issues.
WHAT WILL WE DO
We will practice design thinking and learn practical tools to nurture your creative problem-solving and develop meaningful and sustainable solutions to tackle complex social and environmental issues in our communities.
Design thinking is a powerful approach to help develop insights into problems that generate solutions that may otherwise remain hidden to you.
WHAT WILL YOU LEARN?
Multidisciplinary communication and collaboration, journey maps, prototyping, scenarios and storytelling. More than anything, you’ll have the opportunity to work with like-minded passionate people from different disciplines!
HOW?
As a participant, you will be a creative collaborator. As such you will work with 5 projects which address a social and / or environmental issue. They are passionate by their idea but they also believe in the power of collaboration and diversity, and are looking for creative inputs and different perspectives.
The workshop will be facilitated mainly by Anne-Laure Fayard (Nova SBE) and Inês Veiga (FAUL)
The projects
Raízes Regenerativas (Regenerative Roots): A collaborative initiative working with local communities to explore strategies that encourage youth to move to and thrive in rural Portugal. The initiative aims to design solutions that address local challenges and foster long-term engagement and healthy interdependent relationships.
Lisboa Repair Project : revives Lisbon’s fading repair culture by making local repair services visible, trusted and accessible. This participatory platform connects residents with validated local repairers, reducing waste and supporting local livelihoods.
Teplo — Community Integration & Active Leisure Platform for Ukrainians in Portugal: a dedicated space for socialization and support, bringing the Ukrainian community together and facilitating integration into life in Portugal through meaningful and engaging collective activities (e.g. arts, sports).
Circularity as a Service: PlastNatur® Smart Circular System: proposes a solution that creates a measurable, fully traceable circular loop — from use to collection, logistics, and composting — and actively promotes awareness and behaviour change through user‑centred feedback.
ALGENYX: a flat-panel microalgae photobioreactor designed for indoor air purification and atmospheric CO₂ capture. The current prototype focuses on indoor air cleaning, while we will explore the potential for larger carbon capture applications.
Team
Anne-Laure Fayard, ERA Chair Professor of Social Innovation, coordinator of DESIS Lab at Nova SBE and Visiting Research Professor at NYU.
Inês Veiga, Assistant Professor at FA-ULisboa, designer and designer researcher.
Mentors
-> Graziela Sousa, designer, DESIS @ FAUL
-> António Gorgel, designer, DESIS @ FAUL
-> Joana Lima Villas, UX design lead, DESIS Lab @ Nova SBE mentor
-> Maria Folque Guimarães, Community Manager at Nova SBE Innovation Ecosystem, DESIS Lab @ Nova SBE mentor
Design Jam for Impact
April 05, 2025
We are back for our 4rd edition! Once again organized by the DESIS Lab @ Nova SBE and REDE DESIS Lab @ Faculty of Architecture, we’ll have a full day of creative thinking to help six incredible projects move forward on their social and environmental entrepreneurial journey! Don’t miss out on this exciting and fun day!
The projects
1. Detective Mr. P – An interactive storytelling-based approach to teaching primary research methods through games, puzzles, and digital content.
Team: Sofia Bordoni, Sara Leal, Adél Kovács, Marian Latorre Illanes (Nova SBE).
2. SOMNO – A hands-free, AI-powered sleep assistant designed to help people break free from the cycle of stress-induced insomnia.
Team: Constanza Heymanns, Finn Peters (Nova SBE).
3. Reshell – Recovery and valorization of shellfish waste (mussels, clams, and oysters) to promote sustainable practices in seafood consumption.
Team: Luigi Sbalchiero, Francesco Dorigo (Nova SBE).
4. MyVerti – A soil-free aeroponics system where plant roots grow inside a vertical tower, receiving nutrient-rich mist. This sustainable method saves 95% of water and optimizes space for year-round cultivation. Ivan Silva
6. Community Garden at Nova SBE – More than just a green space, this initiative explores how to create and sustain a truly community-driven garden, fostering collaboration, shared responsibility, and continuous engagement on campus.
Representatives: Inês Sardinha and Hafsa Bouzekri (Local community member and volunteer)
Team
Anne-Laure Fayard, ERA Chair Professor of Social Innovation, coordinator of DESIS Lab at Nova SBE and Visiting Research Professor at NYU.
Inês Veiga, Assistant Professor at FA-ULisboa, designer and designer researcher.
Beatriz Bento, DESIS Lab at Nova SBE community manager.
Mentors
DESIS Lab@NovaSBE – Joana Ramalho, Riddhi Varma, Isaac Jumba and Uri Casademont.
REDE DESIS Lab – Graziela Sousa and António Gorgel
Beatriz Bento, DESIS Lab at Nova SBE community manager.
Design Jam for Sustainable Oceans
September 20, 2024
This activity is hosted by DESIS Lab at Nova SBE in partnership with the Nova SBE Haddad Entrepreneurship Institute, as part of the Horizon Grant for Innovation Ecosystems and was open to anyone passionate about the ocean and its sustainability and most of all interested in collaborating for social impact.
The workshop was facilitated by Anne-Laure Fayard and had the special participation of a few experts and mentors.
– Ana Peralta Baptista, Sustainability and Blue Economy I Team leader | Policy Officer – Economist @ European Commission – MARE
– Christopher Storey, Partnerships Manager Sea Shepherd Global
– SeaForester, an organization that plants seaweed forests around the world to bring life back to the Blue Front Yard.
Team
Anne-Laure Fayard, ERA Chair Professor of Social Innovation, coordinator of DESIS Lab at Nova SBE and Visiting Research Professor at NYU.
Beatriz Bento, DESIS Lab@NovaSBE community manager with the support of Maria Eugénia Mascarenhas, Nova SBE Haddad Entrepreneurship Institute Program Manager.
Design Jam for Impact
April 06, 2024
Another Design Jam for Impact bites the dust. The 3rd edition, organized once again by the DESIS Lab @ Nova SBE and REDE DESIS Lab @ Faculty of Architecture in Lisbon counted with 30+ participants that worked on five different projects developed both by students as well as other social innovators and entrepreneurs that shared their passion and work for further progress ranging from sustainable fashion to urban agriculture and much more.
The projects
1. Project Homelore: Craft capacity-building workshop for migrant women who want to work by uplifting their skills. Riddhi Varma (Nova SBE).
2. Cascara: Minimum Viable Product (MVP) for a pioneering caffeinated, healthy lifestyle refreshment drink based on Cascara, the often-overlooked pulp of the coffee plant. Team: Amelie Lemmen (Nova SBE), Daniel Engler (Nova SBE), Lucas Obermeier (Nova SBE), Luis Warkentin (Nova SBE), Merten Precht-Rümenapf (Nova SBE).
3. QietCotton: Sustainable sound insulation panels with unique design for customers. Team: Nicolo Renzi (Nova SBE), Vittorio Ferretti di Castelferretto (Nova SBE).
4. SCRAPS Movement: An app that connects fashion artists to the general public to revolutionize Sustainable Fashion by empowering collaborative action. By democratizing the fashion design process, we aim to ignite a cultural shift towards resourceful consumption and enable the co-creation of garments that express unique identities and adapt to specific needs.
5. FARMCODE: A project manifesto for the fusion of technology and sustainable food production. It promotes awareness-raising activities in schools on the subject of healthy eating practices, while equipping children with basic digital coding skills.
Team
Anne-Laure Fayard, ERA Chair Professor of Social Innovation, coordinator of DESIS Lab at Nova SBE and Visiting Research Professor at NYU.
Inês Veiga, Assistant Professor at FA-ULisboa, designer and designer researcher.
DESIS Lab@NovaSBE mentors – Joana Ramalho and Assunção Sampayo (WITH company)
REDE DESIS Lab mentors – Graziela Sousa, Ana Melo and António Gorgel
Beatriz Bento, DESIS Lab at Nova SBE community manager.
Design Jam for Sustainable Fashion
February 9, 2024
This activity was hosted by DESIS Lab at Nova SBE in partnership with the Nova SBE Haddad Entrepreneurship Institute, as part of the Horizon Grant for Innovation Ecosystems and was open to anyone passionate about fashion and / or sustainability and most of all interested in collaborating for social impact.
The workshop was facilitated by Anne-Laure Fayard and had the special participation of a few experts and mentors.
– Francesco Mazzarela, Senior Lecturer in Fashion and Design for Social Change at London College of Fashion, University of the Arts London
– Ana Graziela Sousa, Researcher and Lecturer – Fashion Design and Entrepreneurship
– Charlotte Kramer, Co-founder of AGOJI studio and Alumni of Prototyping Fund 1st cycle
Team
Anne-Laure Fayard, ERA Chair Professor of Social Innovation, coordinator of DESIS Lab at Nova SBE and Visiting Research Professor at NYU.
Beatriz Bento, DESIS Lab@NovaSBE community manager with the support of Joana Barba, Nova SBE Haddad Entrepreneurship Institute community manager.
Design Jam for Sustainable Cities
September 22, 2023
This activity was hosted by DESIS Lab at Nova SBE in partnership with the Nova SBE Haddad Entrepreneurship Institute, as part of the Horizon Grant for Innovation Ecosystems. This event was open to anyone passionate about cities and / or sustainability and most of all interested in collaborating for social impact and we were glad to have a wide range of participants with different backgrounds participating.
The workshop was facilitated by Anne-Laure Fayard and had the special participation of a few experts and mentors.
– Joana Casaca Lemos, design researcher for regenerative projects
– Maria Zuzarte, from EMEL – Empresa de Mobilidade e Estacionamento de Lisboa
– Victor Vieira, from Lisboa e-nova – Agência de Energia e Ambiente de Lisboa
Team
Anne-Laure Fayard, ERA Chair Professor of Social Innovation, coordinator of DESIS Lab at Nova SBE and Visiting Research Professor at NYU.
Beatriz Bento, DESIS Lab@NovaSBE community manager with the support of Joana Barba, Nova SBE Haddad Entrepreneurship Institute community manager.
Design Jam for Impact
April 01, 2023
The second edition of Design Jam for Impact organized by the DESIS Lab at Nova SBE and REDES from Faculty of Architecture of Lisbon University (FAUL) at Nova SBE campus had 30+ participants that worked on six different projects developed not only by students but also other social innovators and entrepeneurs that shared their passion and work for further progress.
The projects
1. CEBRA. Transforming young professionals into future responsible leaders. Focus: Leadership Education
Representatives: Milosz Kwapiński & Marielen Winter
2. Imperfecti Design. Focus: Environmental Sustainability
João Anes
3. SAKHI. Focus: Food and sustainable packaging
Asmita Ghimire and Yoonchhomi Subba
4. Bloody Marie. Focus: Health
Representatives: Josef Zimmerer & Mariella Von Der Wense
5. SufHeat. Focus: Environmental Sustainability
Representatives: Alena Kananovich & Kirill Lazarev
6. AGOJI Studio. Focus: Sustainable Fashion and women empowerment
Representatives: Charlotte Kramer & Linda Reitberger
Team
Anne-Laure Fayard, ERA Chair Professor of Social Innovation, coordinator of DESIS Lab at Nova SBE and Visiting Research Professor at NYU.
Inês Veiga, Assistant Professor at FA-ULisboa, designer and designer researcher.
DESIS Lab@NovaSBE mentors – Catarina Lisboa, Joana Ramalho, Mafalda Paiva Chaves and Alisson Avila.
Beatriz Bento, DESIS Lab at Nova SBE community manager.
Design Jam for Impact
April 09, 2022
Our first Design Jam for Impact took place at Nova SBE Campus, a partnership between DESIS Lab at Nova SBE and REDES from Faculty of Architecture of Lisbon University (FAUL). This event had 30+ participants that worked on six different projects (from food waste, recycling to healthcare) developed by students from Nova SBE and from FAL.
Team
Anne-Laure Fayard, ERA Chair Professor of Social Innovation, coordinator of DESIS Lab at Nova SBE and Visiting Research Professor at NYU.
Inês Veiga, Assistant Professor at FA-ULisboa, designer and designer researcher.
Marco Neves, Assistant Professor at FA-ULisboa, Coordinator of the Interaction Design Master’s degree, and the Design, Interaction and Visualization research group.
