Hosted at our Raleigh office on the evening of Wednesday, March 11, to explore the intersection of design and entrepreneurship
By:
Saloni Bedi
February 27, 2026
We hosted this panel & Mixer at our downtown Raleigh office on the evening of March 11, to explore the intersection of intentional design and the local innovation ecosystem.
Where: Loft Design – Downtown Raleigh Office (Specific address provided upon registration)
When: Wednesday, March 11 | 6:00 PM – 9:00 PM
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Design isn’t just a layer you add at the end; it’s the engine that drives a startup from a "good idea" to a market leader.
Whether you were a founder navigating the "messy middle," a designer shaping the next big product, or a community builder fueled by the Raleigh tech surge, that evening was designed for you. The event brought together some of the brightest minds in the region to share the real-world stories behind their journeys, the hurdles they had cleared, and why design served as the ultimate competitive advantage in the startup landscape. The schedule featured a panel discussion on design as a growth lever, followed by a mixer where drinks and light bites were provided for making new connections.
The team was also in Raleigh for the TechConnect Conference from March 10–12, where they spent three days diving deep into the latest tech innovations and connecting with industry leaders. They discussed how strategic design was shaping the future of hardware and software and invited attendees to catch up, exchange ideas, or grab a coffee between sessions. Gregor Mittersinker and Clotilde Grimault managed the outreach, looking forward to meeting everyone who attended.
In her research and design work, Saloni believes that products aren't discarded because they have no value; rather, they're replaced because they fail to keep up with people and their needs. This realization has led her to focus on developing products and experiences that evolve with the user while remaining empathetic to how they can improve lives.As an industrial designer, Saloni is passionate about bringing together design, engineering, and business to tackle some of the most pressing challenges around us. She has worked in a variety of fields, including social innovation, healthcare, sustainable product development, and consumer products.
Prior to Loft, Saloni got her master’s degree at MIT where she saw how the design process can be a key component to bring state-of-the-art solutions can to life. Her work at MIT ranged from conducting user research in zero gravity to make space more inclusive at the Media Lab, developing accessible pregnancy tests for people with vision impairments, and measuring the body's hydration levels at the Gray lab, IMES.
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