03 Nov November 4, 2025 – Risk Considered Ben Swire, Playful Cas Holman and Brain Shapes War Dr. Nicholas Wright
Ben Swire – Co-Founder of Make Believe Works and the Author of Safe Danger: An Unexpected Method for Sparking Connection, Finding Purpose, and Inspiring Innovation
The crack is how the light gets in. It’s the damage that makes us us and makes us unique, and so I think a big thread through this is, you know, when people can learn to value rather than hide or apologize for the parts that others looked at strangely – that’s where I think you get your real insight
Ben Swire
Ben is an award-winning designer and writer, and former Design Lead at the legendary innovation firm, IDEO. The thread that runs through his varied background in design thinking, philosophy, quantum theory, cinema, psychoanalytic theory, and literature is an exceptional curiosity about the hidden factors that influence our lives when we’re not looking. While at IDEO Ben created Make Believe Time as a bi-weekly creative play date for the IDEO community. People from all levels in the studio came to the sessions to learn, create, play, laugh, and, most importantly, meaningfully connect with their colleagues and themselves. Participants walked away refreshed, energized, and ready to tackle challenges in new and creative ways. When interest spread beyond the walls of IDEO, Make Believe Works was born and now helps organizations ranging from Fortune 500 stalwarts to first-year start-ups to build the creative and emotional muscle memory that leads to a healthy, innovative, collaborative work culture.
Cas Holman – Founder of Heroes Will Rise
Release judgment is the first one embrace possibilities is the second one.
So say, like, I’m not quite sure what’s going to come of this, but I’m interested
in it, so I’m going to be curious. And the third one is reframing success.
Cas Holman
Cas Holman is the founder and chief designer of the toy company Heroes Will Rise and a former Professor of Industrial Design at RISD. Cas travels the globe speaking about early education, the design process, and the value of play in all aspects of life. She has shared her perspective in workshops and seminars with teams at Google, Nike, LEGO Foundation, Disney Imagineering, and more. Some of her designs include toys like Rigamajig and structures at the Highline and the Liberty Science center. Cas lives in New York City and designs from her studio in Brooklyn
Dr. Nicholas Wright – Author of Warhead: How the Brain Shapes War and War Shapes the Brain
Fear is useful, right? If you lose the part of the brain which is involved in feeling fear or responding appropriately to fear… people who lose that part of the brain, they don’t become fearless criminals, instead, they become victims of crime. We need fear, and yet fear can drive us towards conflict.
Dr. Nicholas Wright
Dr Nicholas Wright, MRCP, PhD is a neuroscientist who researches the brain, technology and security at University College London, Georgetown University, and the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington DC, where he also advises the Pentagon Joint Staff. He works with governments and the private sector. He worked as a neurology doctor in London and Oxford, and has published numerous academic papers, which have been covered by the BBC and New York Times. He has appeared on CNN and the BBC, and regularly contributes to outlets like Foreign Affairs, Foreign Policy, the Atlantic, and Slate.