Svenja Bickert-Appleby is a consultant, designer, researcher, and entrepreneur dedicated to driving meaningful social and civic change through strategic design and innovation. She is the founder of the innovation and transformation studio New Order Design, where she helps organizations, institutions, and political bodies understand how design decisions shape society.

Currently pursuing her PhD, Svenja’s research focuses on co-design in real-world labs, exploring how design practices can drive social and transformative in change. Her work examines how these practices connect to larger societal change, showing how design can move beyond products and services to influence systems, culture, and policy.

With Maarwerk, she brings this research to life by creating transformative spaces—environments that foster new perspectives, collective reflection, and bold thinking. Guided by the belief that everything around us is designed, from materials to organizations to worldviews, she raises awareness among decision-makers about the societal impact of their choices.

By uncovering hidden layers of design, Svenja empowers leaders to approach challenges with creativity and responsibility, proving that design is a catalyst for meaningful and lasting transformation.