Umesh (uMe) Pandya
www.nesta.org.uk/team/umesh-ume-pandya/
www.nesta.org.uk/team/umesh-ume-pandya/
Design Lead, Design & Technology Practice
Umesh is the design lead for the fairer start mission.
Since 2017, Umesh (uMe) has worked closely with social entrepreneurs to discover and build mission-driven ventures. During this period, he began and continues to develop the Social Venture Canvas — a tool used by entrepreneurs building thriving businesses that respect the wellbeing of people and the health of the planet.
In 2015, he co-founded Wayfindr, a social tech, not-for-profit organisation that empowers vision-impaired people to navigate the world independently. In 2017, Wayfindr became a UN standard and the world's first international standard for audio-based indoor navigation. In recognition of this, Wayfindr was named one of Nesta's and The Observer's 50 New Radicals in 2016, received the best-in-show award at the IXDA Awards and received an AbilityNet Tech4Good Award, among numerous other design and impact awards.
Umesh holds an MA in Communication Design from Central Saint Martins, a design MBA and is a fellow of the Royal Society of Arts.
Outside of work, he can be found strolling through woodland (he loves walking meetings) and sampling the next 'best' pizza place with friends. Above all, Umesh looks forward to spending quality time with his partner and children.
