FEBRUARY 7th & 8th, 2026
(See you there!)
USE CODE:
CONCEPT26 FOR $5 OFF
VALID UNTIL JAN 31st
About Concept Carleton
Concept Carleton is a student-run and organized Industrial Design conference held annually at Carleton University in Ottawa, Ontario. this year's theme is Interlink, celebrating our 9th year running Concept Carleton. Concept Carleton's goal is to share knowledge and provide the opportunity for students to learn from both professionals in their industry, and from other students.
What can I expect?
Get ready to be inspired with talks from professionals, portfolio reviews, a discussion panel, and networking.
Frequently asked questions
2026 SPEAKERS
Allan Wille is the co-founder and CEO of Klipfolio, a widely used SaaS business analytics platform. He has over 20 years of experience leading software companies and was an early adopter of cloud computing and the SaaS business model. Under Allan’s leadership, Klipfolio has grown from a few hundred customers in 2012 to thousands of customers worldwide today.
He is a frequent writer and speaker, and an advisor, mentor, and board member to technology startups. Allan previously co-founded Espial, an internet device software company that was publicly traded on the TSX. A resolute optimist and designer by training, Allan is also a frequent cyclist and a passionate advocate for Ottawa’s tech community. He lives in Ottawa with his wife and two daughters.
Brett is a seasoned automotive designer with over 27 years of experience, spanning from early work engineering automated manufacturing systems to leading creative direction for luxury food packaging.
Known for helping pioneer Walmart’s first autonomous delivery vehicles, Brett now serves as Senior Industrial Designer at Studio 63, where he designs everything from high-end audio equipment to advanced autonomous vehicles for defence companies.
Sasha Valgardsson is a self taught graphic designer and animator who has worked in New York City, Vancouver, and Germany for clients including Apple Music, Fanatics, Lululemon, Nike, Macy’s, Luna Luna, SPACE10, and Ikea.
After working both in house and as an independent designer for 9 years, she made the pivot back to academia where she is now a PhD candidate at the Sprott School of Business. Her research explores the experiences of global independent worker, belonging, culture, and the experiences of growing up with multiple cultural influences.
She lives in Ottawa with her partner and their two cats.
David Quan is an award-winning industrial designer, innovator, and educator poised at the intersection of imagination, industry, and cultural impact. His career spans globally recognized brands, influential design studios, and leading academic institutions, earning numerous international design and utility patents, major design awards, and features in publications including The New York Times Sunday Magazine, Globe & Mail, and Canadian House & Home. Through collaborations with some of the most respected contemporary designers and firms, David has shaped products, experiences, and brands that are instantly recognizable yet quietly transformative. From defining iconic consumer objects at Umbra, to crafting refined digital experiences at Kobo, to steering large-scale innovation at Canadian Tire and reimagining international brands like Paderno to best-in-class status, his work reveals how design thinking becomes real-world momentum turning bold ideas into tangible, culturally resonant results. A former Associate Professor at OCAD University and a sought-after speaker and juror, he is known for mentoring emerging designers transforming talent into impact, provoking designers to see further, question deeper, and design with intention.
Past Concepts
Concept '25
The 2025 Concept Carleton was themed, Ideate, inspiring ideas and innovation. We had four incredible speakers working in a variety of fields in Industrial Design such as Medical, Furniture, UI/UX and Exhibition Design. We had the privilege to have the speakers; Morna Gamblin, Andrew Doxtater, Rich Loen and Stacey Lin.
