Cumulus conference

Nantes, France | June 3-7, 2025

Step Back into Cumulus Nantes 2025

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Cumulus conference

Ethical Leadership : A New Frontier for Design

Watch the program video of the conference.

In the last three decades, the design field has undergone significant transformations, marked by diversification, complexity, and integration with various sectors, including technology. Initially focused on form and function, design has since expanded to drive social, ecological, cultural, and digital innovations. Two major revolutions—digital and service—have reshaped the discipline. Today, faced with environmental challenges and advancing AI, designers are at a critical juncture, necessitating the reevaluation of practices and theories. This includes adopting multidisciplinary, innovative, and ethically responsible approaches.

The 2025 Spring Cumulus Conference in Nantes will explore new design ethics through six tracks: Care, City, Food, Digital, Media, and Design & Entrepreneurship. This event will gather 500 participants from more than 70 countries worldwide to celebrate the 35th anniversary of Cumulus.

Since 1999, L’École de design Nantes Atlantique has been an active contributor to Cumulus Association, the largest network in art, design, and media education. Welcoming Cumulus members in 2025 to our brand-new premises is a unique opportunity to give back what we have learned from peer discussions, inspiring events, and friendly encounters on five continents.

As design education reaches a turning point, maintaining fruitful conversations between educators, practitioners, and researchers in the fields of art, design, and media is more important than ever.

Keynotes

Cynthia Fleury

Philosopher, psychoanalyst, and professor specializing in the intersection of humanities and health.

Gjoko Muratovski

Renowned designer, researcher, and innovation consultant specializing in design-led innovation and strategic foresight

Fabien Grégoire

Designer, Head of Experience Saint Gobain, former VP Design JVC Kenwood in Japan

Sihem Jouini

Associate Professor at HEC Paris, specializing in innovation management and breakthrough innovations. 

Antoinette Lemens

Director of Lemens & Partners, specializing in the search and recruitment of top creative and executive talents.

Matthieu Aquino - Cumulus Nantes 2025
Matthieu Aquino
Co-founder of two global design organizations at Fortune 100 companies—3M and PepsiCo.
Federico Casalegno

Executive Vice President of Design at Samsung Electronics, leading global teams to create future experiences at the intersection of design, innovation, and AI.

Rohit Priyadarshi Sanatani

PhD fellow at MIT whose research focuses on data-driven tools to evaluate the experiential qualities of urban spaces

Stéphanie Roland

A Brussels-based artist and filmmaker, she explores invisible structures through hybrid and award-winning works.

Photos of the conference

Cumulus Nantes 2025 - 03/06
June 03

Sciences du Design & Type Directors Club Exhibition 

Cumulus Nantes 2025 -  03/06 - Welcome Party
June 03

Welcome Party

Cumulus Nantes 2025 - 04/06 - Opening Ceremony
June 04

Opening Ceremony

Cumulus Nantes 2025 - 04/06
June 04

Keynotes, papers sessions, workshops, working groups, social events

Cumulus Nantes 2025 - 04/06 - After Party
June 04

After Party

Cumulus Nantes 2025 - 05/06
June 05

Keynotes, papers sessions, workshops, working groups, social events

Cumulus Nantes 2025 - 05/06 - Cumulus Design Conversation
June 05

Cumulus Design Conversations

Cumulus Nantes 2025 - 05/06 - France Design Impact Awards Exhibition
June 05

France Design Impact Awards Exhibition

Cumulus Nantes 2025 - 06/06
June 06

Keynotes, papers sessions, workshops, working groups, concert

Cumulus Nantes 2025 - 06/06 - Gala dinner
June 06

Gala Dinner

Cumulus Nantes 2025 - Workshops
June 02 – 06

Workshops

Cumulus Nantes 2025 -  Photo Booth
June 03-06

Photo Booth

Videos of the conference

Videos and recordings are available on this YouTube playlist. Session recordings will be uploaded here shortly.