Lydia Teryoshina Appointed to World Future Awards Board of Experts

The World Future Awards is pleased to announce the appointment of Lydia Teryoshina as one of the newest members of its distinguished Board of Experts. With a multifaceted career spanning over 15 years across industries including IT, tourism, pharma, logistics, and iGaming, Lydia brings a unique blend of strategic foresight, technical expertise, and leadership to the organization.

Currently serving as Senior Go-to-Market Lead for Azure Digital and App Innovation at Microsoft, Lydia has been a driving force behind cloud transformation initiatives in Central and Eastern Europe. Since joining Microsoft in 2017, she has scaled Azure Data & AI growth across more than 100 countries, delivered record-breaking results from FY19 to FY25, and played a central role in partner enablement, helping five partners win Microsoft’s prestigious Partner of the Year awards between 2022 and 2024.

Lydia’s strategic acumen is further demonstrated in her ability to execute complex go-to-market strategies, normalize business operations, and manage high-stakes sales cycles. Her appointment to the World Future Awards Board reflects the organization’s ongoing commitment to rigorous evaluation, innovation, and global excellence.

The World Future Awards’ panel of experts is entrusted with evaluating nominees across a wide range of categories—from cutting-edge technology to sustainable design. Board members like Lydia are selected for their ability to apply objective, category-specific criteria with precision, ensuring that only the most transformative products, services, and solutions are honored.

Lydia’s hands-on, trust-driven leadership style and her ability to define and deliver strategy make her a powerful addition to the board. Her creative passions—including photography, travel, and cinematography—further enrich the diverse perspectives represented within the World Future Awards community.

As the organization continues to spotlight innovation that will shape the future, Lydia Teryoshina’s voice and vision will help steer that mission with clarity and impact.

Learn more about Lydia by visiting her LinkedIn profile here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lydiateryoshina/

Building Experiences, Not Just Products: The Future of Tech

In an era saturated with digital tools, software updates, and feature-packed platforms, the most successful tech companies aren’t just shipping products — they’re curating experiences. The difference is subtle but critical: products solve problems, while experiences build connections, loyalty, and meaning.

As we look toward the next wave of technological evolution, the defining question for companies is no longer “What does your product do?” but “How does it make people feel?”

Why Experience is the New Differentiator

In today’s hypercompetitive market, functionality is table stakes. Two apps may offer identical features, but the one that delivers a smoother, more intuitive, more emotionally resonant user journey will win every time. It’s why design-led companies like Apple, Notion, and Airbnb continue to lead in customer satisfaction and brand loyalty.

Users expect more than efficiency — they expect elegance, emotion, and engagement. That’s what defines a modern experience.

From MVP to MVE: The Rise of the Minimum Viable Experience

We’re moving beyond the MVP (Minimum Viable Product) era into the age of the MVE — Minimum Viable Experience. That means companies need to consider emotional design, onboarding delight, seamless feedback loops, and even subtle micro-interactions as part of their core value offering.

Functionality gets you in the game; experience keeps you there.

Emerging Technologies Make Experience Central

Technologies like AI, XR, and voice interfaces are pushing us further into experience-first territory. Consider:

  • AI that predicts your intent, not just responds to input
  • AR/VR tools that integrate physical and digital seamlessly
  • Voice that interacts with empathy and tone, not just keywords

The future of tech lies not in devices or software, but in crafting holistic ecosystems of engagement that feel natural, human, and personal.

Metrics Are Shifting: From Usage to Emotion

Old metrics like time-on-app or daily active users are being replaced by more nuanced signals: customer sentiment, NPS, emotional engagement, and retention through delight. Teams now ask:

  • Does our product feel good to use?
  • Are we reducing cognitive load or creating it?
  • Are we building loyalty or just logging clicks?

This marks a cultural shift as much as a technical one.

Building for the Human, Not Just the User

At its core, experiential tech centers around empathy. It demands that we build not just for “users,” but for real, complex humans navigating chaotic, digital-heavy lives. That means designing for accessibility, inclusion, emotion, and flexibility, not just efficiency and speed.

Experience Is the Future of Innovation

The most forward-thinking tech companies are investing in experience as a primary driver of growth and differentiation. Whether you’re building the next productivity app, AI assistant, or digital workspace, the future isn’t just in what you build, but in how people experience it.

Because in tomorrow’s tech landscape, experiences scale. Products don’t.

Apply for the World Future Awards today to stay ahead of the game: https://worldfutureawards.com/apply-now/

🌐 World Future Awards Honors the Best Fashion Tech Companies in the World 2025

Recognizing Global Innovators at the Nexus of Style, Sustainability, and Technology

The World Future Awards (WFA) is proud to unveil its official selection of the Best Fashion Tech Companies in the World for 2025. This prestigious recognition highlights the most forward-thinking organizations revolutionizing the global fashion industry through technology, sustainability, and consumer-centric innovation.

Spanning smart textiles, virtual try-on platforms, AI-powered personalization engines, blockchain solutions, and circular design models, the awarded companies represent the very best in technological advancement and creative excellence. These industry leaders are not only transforming how fashion is designed, produced, and consumed, but also setting the standards for what a sustainable, digital-first future should look like.


🏆 Selection Process & Evaluation Criteria

Each honoree was rigorously evaluated by the World Future Awards Research & Advisory Board through a multi-tiered assessment process. Selection was based on five key pillars:

  • Technological Innovation – Demonstrated application of cutting-edge technologies such as AI, AR, IoT, smart fabrics, or digital twins.
  • Consumer Experience – Platforms and solutions that redefine how users engage with fashion, from discovery to personalization and beyond.
  • Sustainability & Circularity – Impactful approaches to ethical sourcing, waste reduction, material innovation, and transparent supply chains.
  • Scalability & Business Viability – Proven growth models and potential to scale globally with measurable results.
  • Thought Leadership – Influence within the industry and contribution to shaping the future of fashion on a global scale.

The 2025 edition of this international accolade focused on companies based in six of the world’s most advanced fashion-tech ecosystems: the United States, Italy, Spain, South Korea, the Netherlands, and the United Kingdom—each a global leader in innovation, creativity, and market impact.


🌍 Fashion Tech Innovation by Country

🇺🇸 United States – A global epicenter for fashion innovation, the U.S. leads in AI-driven retail intelligence, DTC platforms, and virtual styling technologies. With hubs in Silicon Valley and New York, it continues to shape the future of digital fashion experiences.

🇮🇹 Italy – Famed for its craftsmanship and heritage luxury brands, Italy blends its design legacy with digital tools such as 3D prototyping, supply chain transparency, and smart textiles, pushing the boundaries of high-end fashion manufacturing.

🇪🇸 Spain – A major player in fast fashion and retail tech, Spain is at the forefront of virtual fitting solutions, logistics automation, and data-led sustainability efforts, spearheaded by both established giants and agile startups.

🇰🇷 South Korea – As a leader in wearable innovation, K-fashion, and digital retail, South Korea leverages its cutting-edge infrastructure and cultural influence to drive trends in metaverse fashion, influencer commerce, and personalized design.

🇳🇱 Netherlands – With a deep commitment to sustainability, the Netherlands nurtures some of the most visionary fashion tech startups focused on circular economy models, digital fashion design, and biodegradable materials.

🇬🇧 United Kingdom – Home to vibrant fashion-tech clusters in London and Manchester, the UK champions inclusive design, smart manufacturing, and digital fashion R&D through cross-sector collaboration and investment in creative innovation.

BEST FASHION TECH COMPANIES 2025

🇺🇸 United States
The U.S. remains a global leader in fashion technology, with hubs in cities like New York, Los Angeles, and San Francisco. Notable companies include:

Perfect CorpHeadquartered in New York, Perfect Corp specializes in AI and AR beauty and fashion tech services, offering virtual try-on experiences for consumers.
The YesTHE YES, a multi-brand shopping app launched in May 2020 offered a new type of buying experience for women’s fashion, driven by a sophisticated algorithm that used data science and machine learning to create and deliver a personalized store for every shopper, based on her style preferences, size, and budget.
PhiaPhia is a digital fashion startup aimed at simplifying secondhand shopping and reselling, targeting Gen Z consumers.
DRESSXA Los Angeles-based digital fashion platform offering AR-powered virtual try-ons and NFT wearables. DRESSX collaborates with brands like Balenciaga and Dior, providing a sustainable alternative to physical fashion through digital garments.
RefiberdThis California-based startup uses AI and hyperspectral imaging to identify and recycle textile blends, helping brands scale circular fashion practices with precision and sustainability.
JOORA digital B2B fashion wholesale platform connecting over 8,600 brands with 350,000 retailers. JOOR streamlines virtual showrooms, order management, and data analytics for the global fashion supply chain.
ThredUpOne of the largest online resale platforms in the U.S., ThredUp champions sustainable fashion by enabling users to buy and sell gently used clothing while reducing textile waste.
DojiAn AI-powered fashion try-on app where users can create avatars and experiment with digital outfits.
Laws of MotionOffers hyper-personalized clothing using AI-based size mapping from user-submitted photos. Laws of Motion reduces returns and waste through made-to-order precision.
Revery.AIA fashion tech startup focused on building virtual dressing rooms. Revery’s AI enables users to see how clothes look on their body type in real time, boosting confidence and reducing returns for online shoppers.

🇬🇧 United Kingdom
The UK, particularly London, is a hub for fashion innovation, blending traditional fashion with cutting-edge technology. Key players include:

EDITEDAI-powered retail analytics platform helping brands optimize pricing, trend forecasting, and inventory strategies.
WGSNLeading trend forecasting company offering data-backed insights into consumer behavior, design, and fashion marketing.
SojoApp connecting users with local tailors for clothing alterations and repairs—championing slow and circular fashion.
Cult MiaApp connecting users with local tailors for clothing alterations and repairs—championing slow and circular fashion.
AutoneRetail optimization platform using AI to help fashion brands make smarter decisions across supply chains.
UnmadeOn-demand manufacturing software that enables personalization and waste-reduction for fashion and sportswear brands.
By RotationFashion rental and resale app promoting sustainability through community-driven wardrobe sharing.
RefloSportswear brand using recycled materials, committed to sustainability and high-performance design.
FarlyCommunity-led marketplace for slow fashion lovers to shop, resell, and discover curated styles with a social twist.
Hurr CollectiveA peer-to-peer wardrobe rental platform that leverages AI to offer sustainable fashion solutions.

🇳🇱 Netherlands
The Netherlands, especially Amsterdam, is emerging as a center for digital fashion innovation. Noteworthy companies:

The FabricantA pioneer in digital-only fashion, designing virtual garments that exist solely in the digital realm, promoting sustainability by eliminating physical production.
OtriumOnline fashion outlet marketplace that helps brands sell excess inventory efficiently, reducing waste and promoting sustainable consumption.
Project CeceAn aggregator platform for fair and sustainable fashion, offering a wide range of ethically produced clothing from various webshops.
RenoonPlatform aggregating sustainable fashion products, allowing users to discover and shop based on their personal values and sustainability preferences.
LabfreshDevelops smart apparel with stain and odor-repellent technology, aiming to extend garment lifespan and reduce overconsumption.
BYBORRETextile innovation studio creating sustainable and customizable fabrics, integrating technology and design for functional apparel.
Pixyle.aiProvides AI-powered image recognition solutions for fashion retailers, enhancing product tagging and visual search capabilities.
MUD JeansSustainable denim brand offering a “Lease A Jeans” model, promoting circular fashion by recycling old jeans into new products.

🇮🇹 Italy
Italy, with its rich fashion heritage, is integrating technology to modernize the industry. Key developments:

VegeaDevelops sustainable, vegan leather alternatives from wine industry waste, promoting eco-friendly materials in fashion.
Indigo.aiOffers a no-code platform to create AI-powered chatbots, enhancing customer engagement in the fashion retail sector.
CloudrobeOffers a virtual wardrobe service, storing off-season clothing and delivering items on-demand, integrating technology with sustainable fashion practices.
AliveShoesEnables individuals to design and sell custom shoe lines, handling production and logistics, democratizing footwear design.
SpacewearDevelops innovative training clothing for space tourism, blending advanced space technology with everyday fashion.

🇪🇸 Spain
Spain is making significant strides in fashion technology, emphasizing sustainability and digital transformation. Notable initiatives:

FabbricBarcelona-based platform enabling creators to design and launch custom fashion collections swiftly, connecting them with manufacturers in Spain, Portugal, and China.
OnversedMálaga startup offering 3D digital twins for fashion designs, allowing virtual prototyping to reduce production costs and material waste.
RecovoBarcelona-based platform promoting circular fashion by facilitating the resale of surplus fabrics between brands, extending textile life cycles.
RecoverBanyeres de Mariola company producing recycled cotton fibers from textile waste, supplying sustainable materials to global fashion brands.
SENSTILEIntegrates VR and 5G technologies to offer immersive virtual fashion experiences, allowing users to interact with clothing designs in real-time.
BComeBarcelona-based SaaS platform offering supply chain transparency and sustainability metrics for fashion brands.
Studio LoBeSpecializes in digital fashion design, creating 3D garments and accessories for virtual environments and the Metaverse.
Desigual Awesome LabInnovation accelerator by Desigual, supporting startups integrating technologies like AI and blockchain into fashion.

🇰🇷 South Korea
South Korea is becoming a significant player in fashion tech, blending technology with fashion retail. Notable companies:

KREAMA peer-to-peer luxury resale platform specializing in authenticated sneakers and fashion items. KREAM has seen substantial growth since its inception in 2020.
FASSKERA metaverse-based fashion platform offering 3D, AR, and VR experiences, allowing users to explore virtual fashion environments.
CLO Virtual FashionProvides 3D garment visualization tools for fashion design, reducing lead times and enabling virtual prototyping.
OMNIOUSDevelops AI-powered fashion image recognition solutions, aiding in catalog management and personalized recommendations.

🎉 A Global Salute to 2025’s Fashion Tech Pioneers

The World Future Awards Team congratulates this year’s winners for their exceptional contributions to the evolution of the fashion industry. Their innovative work reflects a shared commitment to reshaping the global fashion landscape through sustainable, scalable, and human-centered technology.

As part of their recognition, all winners are invited to:

  • Receive a personalized digital winner badge/logo for brand and media use
  • Be featured in a interview/ review to share their vision and leadership with WFA’s global audience

For press inquiries, winner assets, or interview opportunities:
📧 kc@worldfutureawards.com
🌐 www.worldfutureawards.com

Follow and join the conversation: #WFAFashionTech2025 | #WorldFutureAwards

Book Review: The Great Remobilization: Strategies and Designs for a Smarter Global Future, by Mark Esposito

In The Great Remobilization, Mark Esposito and his co-authors, Olaf Groth and Terence Tse, deliver a timely, deeply-researched, and ambitious roadmap for reimagining global systems in the wake of cascading crises. With the world still reeling from the COVID-19 pandemic, grappling with climate change, geopolitical fractures, and technological disruption, the authors argue persuasively that the present moment represents not only a turning point but an unparalleled opportunity.

At the core of the book is the FLP-IT framework (Forces, Logic, Phenomena, Impact, Triage), a strategic tool for leaders seeking clarity and agility amid uncertainty. Drawing on over 100 interviews with senior global figures—ranging from military generals to corporate executives—the authors blend empirical insight with actionable foresight. Their message is clear: we need “design activist leaders” who are not only reactive to crises but proactive in reshaping systems for greater trust, resilience, and equity.

The authors zero in on five seismic “C” shifts reshaping our world:

  1. COVID and pandemic preparedness
  2. Cognitive economy and crypto technologies
  3. Cybersecurity
  4. Climate change and carbon management
  5. China’s evolving global role

Through these lenses, they illustrate how current institutions—economic, technological, political—are outdated operating systems ill-suited for modern challenges. What emerges is a compelling call to action for stakeholders across sectors to reprogram these systems to serve broader societal needs while fostering long-term growth.

Mark Esposito’s academic gravitas, drawn from his positions at Harvard, Cambridge, and multiple global institutions, is evident throughout. Yet the book is not a dense academic tome. It is fluidly written, accessible, and infused with urgency. Esposito, Groth, and Tse don’t merely diagnose problems—they offer tools and mindsets for those ready to lead systemic change.

The Great Remobilization is an essential read for executives, policymakers, and anyone who recognizes that the future will not be inherited—it must be consciously designed. As Esposito and his colleagues make clear, our global crossroads demands more than reform; it requires bold, intelligent remobilization.

Redefining Community Growth in Web3: An Interview with Charles Wayn, Co-Founder of Galxe and Gravity

In a rapidly evolving digital landscape where web3 innovation reshapes how communities interact and engage, Galxe has emerged as a transformative force. In 2025, the company received its first World Future Awards for Best Web3 Growth Platform.

Web3 businesses face growing challenges with fragmented tools, disjointed user experiences, and ineffective engagement. Galxe solves this with a secure, all-in-one platform that turns user base engagement into scalable, data-driven growth powered by automation and identity intelligence. Built on Gravity—Galxe’s ultra high-speed Layer 1 blockchain—the platform unifies onboarding, identity verification, automation, and user engagement into one seamless experience. Galxe has evolved into the largest community-building platform in web3, boasting over 34 million users and has partnered with over 7,000 brands in the space, such as Coinbase, Polygon, Forbes, and Avalanche.  

Leading this innovation is Charles Wayn, Co-founder of Galxe and Gravity, and a prominent blockchain entrepreneur. With a clear vision for scalability, decentralization, and user-centric design, Charles has helped shape Galxe into a cornerstone of the web3 ecosystem. Today, we sit down with Charles to explore his entrepreneurial journey, the breakthroughs powering Galxe, and the future of digital identity and community building.

Questions

WFA: Charles, what inspired you to co-found Galxe, and what gap in the Web3 ecosystem were you aiming to fill at the time?

When we started Galxe in early 2021, my co-founder Harry Zhang and I had been experimenting a lot with DeFi, like many others in the space at the time. We were fascinated by the possibilities of web3 and kept asking ourselves: beyond speculation, how could NFTs and DeFi actually be used to create real utility and impact, especially for community building?

That led us to our first idea: NFT-as-a-service. We wanted to give businesses a simple way to create and distribute NFTs, not just as collectibles, but as tools for recognizing status, achievements, and membership within a community. What really clicked for us was the potential to connect NFTs to actual user behavior. That’s where the concept of “credentials” came in, essentially behavioral data that could be composable, verifiable, and meaningful.

We then identified a bigger gap in Web3 around identity and contribution. Projects were struggling to understand who their real community members were. Not just wallet addresses, but real people actively participating, contributing, and building. Galxe set out to bridge that gap: to help projects recognize and reward meaningful engagement in a decentralized way. That mission still drives everything we build today.

WFA: Galxe has grown into a platform with over 34 million users and has partnered with over 7,000+ crypto brands. What have been the biggest challenges—and triumphs—on this journey?

The numbers are a testament to what we’ve built, and they prove that our model works. Which is why Galxe has become the leading community-building platform in Web3. But none of this would be possible without the incredible team we have. From engineering to ecosystem to marketing, our team is relentless in building innovative solutions and staying ahead in an industry that’s constantly evolving.

One of our biggest triumphs has been our ability to stay deeply connected to the community. We listen. We iterate. And we ship what people need.  At the end of the day, community is what makes or breaks a Web3 project. That principle is at the core of everything we do.

Of course, the excitement of this space comes with challenges. As an industry, we still have work to do when it comes to improving user experience and building greater trust. We’ve seen how complex onboarding or security concerns can become real entry barriers for newcomers. That’s why we’ve always prioritized both usability and safety, like a seamless UX and robust security infrastructure, making Galxe accessible and trustworthy for everyone, from first-time users to enterprise-level partners.

So, whether it’s helping a brand launch their first campaign or supporting an ecosystem’s long-term growth, our goal remains the same: an essential growth engine for web3 businesses — not just a helpful tool, but the central infrastructure that powers how web3 ecosystems scale, engage, and retain users.

WFA: Gravity, your new Layer 1 blockchain, boasts incredible performance. What sets Gravity apart from other blockchains, and why was building it a strategic priority for Galxe?

Gravity was purpose-built to push the boundaries of blockchain performance and user experience because we knew that to scale web3 adoption, we needed infrastructure that could actually keep up with demand. What sets Gravity apart is its high-performance Grevm engine, the fastest open-source parallel EVM available today. In benchmark conditions, it delivers up to 16.57 gigagas per second, with 1 gigagas/second targeted in real-world use, resulting in a 5.5× performance boost in high-conflict transaction scenarios compared to traditional engines.

We also engineered sub-second transaction finality, which is a game-changer for end users. It eliminates the lag and uncertainty that have plagued blockchain UX for years. At the core of this performance is Gravity’s innovative 5-stage pipelined architecture, which allows for parallel execution and consensus. This design isn’t just about speed; it enables scalable, decentralized interoperability across multiple blockchain ecosystems at lower cost and higher throughput.

Strategically, Gravity is foundational to Galxe’s mission to power growth in web3. Whether you’re a protocol, dApp, or ecosystem partner, you need infrastructure that can deliver on scalability.

WFA: Galxe Quest has powered over 1.1 billion quests. How does this product drive community engagement, and what does that say about the evolution of loyalty in decentralized spaces?

Galxe Quest drives engagement because it fundamentally flips the traditional loyalty mode. Instead of locking users into a brand’s ecosystem, it rewards participation with onchain assets users actually own. That simple shift from centralized to user-owned makes all the difference.

With every quest completed, users collect real value: tradable NFTs, interoperable points, and a transparent onchain history that’s theirs to keep and use across web3. That kind of ownership fosters deeper loyalty because users aren’t just being rewarded, they’re being recognized.

To me, the 1.1 billion+ quests reflect a broader shift in web3, loyalty isn’t just about frequency, it’s about freedom, transparency, and belonging. And that’s exactly what Galxe is building.

WFA: Galxe has a streamlined token distribution tool that simplifies airdrops for both projects and users – Earndrop. How does Earndrop’s automation and centralized claiming experience improve community engagement and user retention compared to traditional airdrops?

Earndrop fundamentally improves community engagement and user retention by addressing one of the biggest friction points in web3, token distribution. Unlike traditional airdrops that often require custom dev work, fragmented claim pages, or multiple user touchpoints, Earndrop offers a fully automated, cohesive experience. Users can check eligibility and claim tokens from multiple campaigns and across multiple chains in one place, which naturally encourages ongoing platform engagement.

On the project side, Earndrop is built on the same intelligent framework and highly-scalable infrastructure that powers Galxe Quest. That means projects can confidently distribute assets, whether it’s for a TGE, loyalty reward, or early access campaign, without worrying about performance, manual processes, or security gaps. It completes the distribution lifecycle that Quest starts, giving teams a flexible and secure way to convert on-chain actions into tangible token rewards.

Ultimately, Earndrop turns what was once a tedious backend process into a strategic growth tool. By eliminating distribution headaches and increasing transparency, it empowers web3 projects to focus on deeper community building and smarter token launch strategies.

WFA: Galxe recently launched ‘Starboard’, a data-driven growth and analytics tool. Why did the team build this solution, and why now?

We built Starboard to address a major gap we saw after working with thousands of projects. Web3 teams could attract users, but they couldn’t always identify who truly mattered.

Galxe helped kickstart growth for countless protocols through Quests, bringing millions of users into web3. But as the space matured, the conversation shifted from how many showed up to who actually stayed, contributed, and created value. Teams began asking smarter questions:

  • Who brought in liquidity?
  • Who kept showing up as a builder or brand advocate?
  • Who’s driving real traction?

The answer wasn’t always visible; however, Starboard solves this by giving projects a unified view of onchain and offchain contributions, mapped directly to outcomes like protocol usage, developer activity, and community strength. It transforms fragmented campaign data into a clear leaderboard of impact, so every reward is tied to real progress, not just participation.

We didn’t build Starboard to replace Quests; Starboard is a complementary tool to Quest, completing the journey from first touch to long-term alignment. In web3, growth means building with the right people, and Starboard helps teams track what matters and reward real impact.

WFA: Galxe has evolved into an all-in-one platform, powered by analytics, automation, and engagement solutions. How do you see this integrated approach shaping the future of Web3?

Web3 has long struggled with fragmentation. Teams are often forced to piece together disconnected tools and systems just to drive basic growth. Galxe was built to change that. Our integrated approach brings together identity, analytics, engagement, and now distribution, meaning that projects no longer have to choose between scalability, usability, and depth of insight. 

By unifying the core elements of modern growth into a single platform, we empower teams to build smarter strategies, drive stronger community participation, and make decisions backed by real behavior-based data. It’s not just about convenience; it’s about unlocking a new standard for how web3 projects should launch, grow, and scale.

We believe the future of Web3 will be shaped by platforms that prioritize simplicity, trust, and community. Galxe’s model reflects that vision, offering a fluid, secure, and future-ready foundation for builders and users.

WFA: Looking ahead, what excites you most about the next 12 months for Galxe, and what can the web3 community expect from your team?

The next year is an important one for us. With a product stack that now supports the full web3 growth cycle, we’re focused on collaborating with more teams that are building thoughtful, useful tools in the space. One major milestone ahead is the mainnet launch of Gravity, which we see as a meaningful step forward for both Galxe and the broader ecosystem. We’re continuing to develop tools that are more flexible, better integrated, and focused on helping teams drive real impact.

WFA: Thank you, Charles, for sharing your insights and pioneering vision. Your leadership continues to inspire innovation across the web3 space and beyond!

Visit https://www.galxe.com/ for more on the award-winning company.

Creative Leadership and Innovation to Thrive in Challenging Times

Since Bob Dylan captured the zeitgeist of the 1960s by announcing, The Times They Are A- Changin’, his words have continued to reverberate and encapsulate the mood of our current era, as the times are a-changin’ again.

And they are changing at an exponentially faster rate. The tectonic plates beneath us are in constant motion, sending seismic tremors through the ground to shape-shift into new pathways. This leads to client and customer motivations also changing at a swift rate, with businesses and organisations needing to adapt to keep pace with their evolving needs, maintain a competitive edge, and thrive in challenging times.

Traditionally, businesses were modelled on a hierarchical pyramid structure, with systems literally set in stone to reduce complexity and uncertainty, and remain solid in place over a long period of time. This is also known as a top-down structure, with a ‘predict and control’ approach.

However, we are now in a state of flux. These are unexpected, unstable, and chaotic times, with uncertainty as the only certainty. In fast-moving disruptive times, maintaining fixed internal structures and best-selling products or services are no longer stable guarantees for years to come. The pyramid base cannot move and keep up with the shifting ground, and absorb the rumbling tremors. Instead, each growl and roar causes more and more cracks to form, undermining its foundation, leaving it vulnerable to splitting apart.

Instead, new landscapes require new business formations as flexible ecosystems, so they can respond with agility to changing clients and customer needs. Instead of merely surviving, these organisations will be primed to seize new possibilities as they emerge, lead the way, and prosper in complex times. This is known as a flattened structure, with a ‘sense and respond’ approach.

The World Economic Forum’s 2020 report on the future of jobs predicted that the automation of the workforce through robots and AI will lead to the displacement of 85 million jobs. The model of the office functioning as administrative centres will need to evolve to become creative hubs that motivate employees to participate in person, counter the disconnection and isolation of remote teams, and stem the tide on the great resignation.

These dynamic creative hubs will also require a new leadership model. In place of hard skills, emotional intelligent soft skills will be essential for high-functioning, interpersonal, multidisciplinary, cross-department teams. These leaders will facilitate teams and departments to develop courage, resilience, comfort with discomfort, and problem-solving abilities to confidently navigate competing demands. In place of brainstorms and ideation sessions taking place once or occasionally throughout the year, it will be essential to communicate, collaborate, and create on an ongoing basis. This will ensure the continuous innovation of products and services, so they remain relevant and connect meaningfully with clients and customers, for the sustainability and longevity of the organisation.

If we pick back up on Bob Dylan’s refrain, traditional rigid business structures are no longer viable in today’s fluctuating and unpredictable world. To remain relevant and resilient, organisations must evolve to sense and respond to shifting demands. This transformation calls for a radical rethink of workspaces, a new form of creative leadership, and a culture of continuous innovation for businesses to move from cycles of boom and bust, to propagate an evolving ecosystem that blooms and flourishes.

By Pigalle Tavakkoli, founder of the School of Experience Design, experience strategist, award-winning educator, trainer, and author of The Experience Design Building Blocks.

www.linkedin.com/in/pigalletavakkoli/ www.SchoolofExperienceDesign.net www.youtube.com/@SchoolofExperienceDesign

The Art of Recognition: The Story Behind the World Future Awards Trophy Crafted by NN ZVIR

At the heart of the World Future Awards (WFA) lies more than just global recognition—there is a work of art that symbolizes the spirit of innovation and excellence: the WFA Galactic Trophy. This distinguished honor is brought to life by NN ZVIR art glass & lighting, a renowned Ukrainian studio founded by artist duo Nazarii and Nataliia Zvir in 2018.

Based in Chicago now, NN ZVIR specializes in handcrafted, emotionally resonant glass creations, merging blown glass, metal, and stone with contemporary technologies. Each WFA trophy is handcrafted by the studio’s artisans through traditional glassblowing and melting techniques, requiring extreme precision, temperature control, and artisanal skill. Colored glass, especially, demands years of experience to achieve clarity and richness without impurities. Each trophy is imbued with tiny bubbles—not flaws, but intentional details that represent the vast galaxy of companies in our world, a universe full of innovation and undiscovered brilliance.

These bubbles are metaphors for the millions of businesses that orbit around us—startups, creators, and innovators—all waiting to be noticed. Each year, new stars are born in this galaxy, and it is both a responsibility and a privilege for us as consumers and industry leaders to recognize and support them.

The artists at NN ZVIR are 5th-generation glass masters, continuing a centuries-old tradition of working with molten glass. Their craft is rooted in cultural heritage, passed down through generations, and refined into modern-day excellence. This depth of legacy and dedication is what elevates the Galactic Trophy beyond recognition—into a symbol of honor, purpose, and vision.

A Trophy with a Visionary Meaning

The WFA Galactic Trophy is a powerful symbol. It represents the pursuit of constructive innovation, the freedom of ideas, the commitment to excellence, and outcomes driven by a future-forward mindset. It stands for the determination and vision of the honorees—those whose efforts are building a better tomorrow.

The trophy’s design also incorporates the WFA logo—the Galactic Mark—which conveys the essence of innovation, clarity of thought, and limitless imagination. This emblem stands for the universal drive toward bold ideas, responsible progress, and creative freedom.

Each recipient of this award is reminded not only of their past achievements but also of their role in shaping the future.

Thanks to the artistic mastery of NN ZVIR, the WFA trophy is more than an accolade—it is a lasting symbol of possibility, progress, and prestige.

Learn more about World Future Awards: https://worldfutureawards.com
Discover NN ZVIR’s creations: https://nnzvir.com, Instagram

Advancing Accuracy, Insight, and Impact in Honoring the World’s Leading Innovators

The World Future Awards is proud to announce the integration of artificial intelligence (AI) technologies into its global award selection and evaluation process. This strategic advancement enhances the precision, efficiency, and scalability of recognizing outstanding companies and individuals driving future-focused innovation across industries.

By leveraging AI-powered research tools, data analysis engines, and intelligent filtering systems, World Future Awards now conducts deeper, more comprehensive evaluations of candidates. These technologies support the identification of emerging trends, the analysis of public data and performance indicators, and the validation of achievements across technology, business, sustainability, healthcare, marketing, and more.

The new AI-driven approach strengthens the organization’s commitment to transparency, fairness, and global reach. It also improves the ability to identify high-impact leaders and companies operating in dynamic or fast-growing sectors, ensuring that the awards remain at the forefront of innovation recognition.

This development is part of World Future Awards’ broader strategy to modernize its processes and better reflect the evolving standards of excellence in a digital, data-centric world.

For more information about the awards and selection methodology, please visit:
🌐 https://worldfutureawards.com

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