We gather dedicated interdisciplinary teams – philosophers, scientists, architects, engineers, anthropologists, designers, artists, or people who simply use intuition rather than mere study – to deliver holistic and regenerative spatial solutions.
Team
DIOGO TEIXEIRA
Chief Ecosystem Officer
Diogo is a committed entrepreneur, concerned with sustainability and social inclusion. He believes in collaboration, transdisciplinary dialogue and learning by doing as fundamental tools to invent and build desirable and sustainable futures.He holds master’s degrees in civil engineering from the University of Lisbon, and in urbanism and planning from the University of Paris.
After spending nearly two decades working in design and development of small- and large-scale projects in Europe, Africa, and Asia, he knows what truly drives successful placemaking. He co-founded IPAV, Beta-i, and Build the City, and launched many initiatives with innovative solutions.
JOANA LIMA
Head of Foresight
Joana is devoted to co-create and experiment learning and innovation journeys for people, territories, and organisations, focused on sustainable and regenerative impact for value-driven development. Her practice of prospective strategies for sustainability transitions integrates facilitation and active involvement of multi-stakeholders.
She is a Territorial Engineer and holds a PhD in Strategic Sustainable Management.
Her former work experience and worldview development stemmed from operating for more than 10 years in innovation consulting for the integration of sustainability into planning and management at the organisations-policy-science interface, in Portugal, Cape Verde, Angola, Guinea Bissau, Mozambique, and UE.
VICENTE XARA-BRASIL MONTEIRO
Ecosystem Developer
Vicente is an enthusiast of collaborative and innovative learning experiences that drive sustainable and ethical development in communities and organizations. Through active engagement of all stakeholders, he seeks to build a future that is environmentally responsible, socially just, and economically viable for everyone.
He holds a master's degree in Environmental Engineering from the University of Lisbon.
In addition to his academic achievements, he has developed valuable interpersonal skills through his experiences as a showjumping rider. These skills, including adaptability, teamwork, and effective communication, make him a valuable asset for any team working towards sustainable development.
JOANA CASACA LEMOSCurator of Engagement
Joana leads design research projects that support sustainable innovation. She runs an independent practice with the support of a network of interdisciplinary experts in various geographies.
She holds a PhD from Central Saint Martins on experience design for sustainability, and is a fellow of the Royal Society of Arts and member of Ellen MacArthur Foundation.
Joana’s areas of expertise include field insights, sensemaking, co-design facilitation, integrating sustainability frameworks and supporting organisations to articulate thought leadership. With experience in different geographies and supporting a variety of organisations with their initiatives, including PwC, Rockefeller Foundation, IDEO and Daimler.
MENNO CRAMER
Curator of Technology
Menno is passionate about people and design, more specifically how we, as humans, interact with designed objects and services. All his roles are at the intersection of behaviour and design.
In his PhD in Neuroscience & Design, he started to explore the link between designing spaces and how we perceive and are impacted by them: from physical spaces like cities, transport structures and architecture, to digital spaces like websites, apps and products.
As UX designer and design consultant for start-ups and enterprises, Menno scopes a wide range of activities and topics. His career is about how we can manage the creation of spaces, products, and services, whilst accurately predicting the experience they inherently generate.
LUÍS ROCHARTRE
Curator of Sustainability
Luís sees himself as a producer who, in the face of a challenge and a set of resources, loves to reach a result – whether it's a business project, a new fish recipe or whatever comes his way. He considers that incremental gains are not enough to overcome the challenges we face, and is currently focused on converting regeneration and net positive goals into action.
He has specialized in working on, and studying, the sustainability agenda goals, and believes that best science, systems thinking, stakeholder engagement and purpose are the four cornerstones of a winning strategy.
Luís is a seasoned professional experienced in several sectors and responsibilities. His experience grew around three main themes: people, achievement, and sustainability.
Partners
ANTÓNIO ALVARENGA
ALVA
António has extensive experience in leading projects and in designing/facilitating workshops and training sessions on Prospective Scenarios methods, Ideation and Trend Analysis/Scanning.
He holds a PhD in Management Sciences (Lyon 3), a Degree in Economics (FEP, Porto), a Master in European Economic Studies (College of Europe – Bruges) and a Post-Graduation in Strategy (ISCSP).
António is Founder and CEO of the boutique consultancy ALVA R&C and Guest Associate Professor at Nova SBE, where he collaborates in Master's and Executive Training programs.
MARGARIDA MONTEIRO DE BARROS
ALVA
Margarida has over two decades of experience in areas such as strategic innovation, sustainability, and Design Thinking processes. She has been working in the field of strategic prospective for almost a decade. She served as a Guest Professor at IST, where she is part of the Center for Management Studies, applying her research to businesses.
She holds a PhD in Innovation for Sustainability from Loughborough University, a master's degree in Design for Sustainability from Cranfield University, and a bachelor's degree in Product Design from the University of Lisbon.
Margarida has been involved in conceiving, managing, and developing consulting projects for various sectors (Automotive, Agriculture, IT, FMCG, etc.) and types of companies in different markets (Spain, France, England, Germany).