Established in 2013 in Mumbai, Indian School of Design & Innovation (ISDI) is amongst India’s premier institute offering pedagogy across fashion, interior, product and communication design. Set up in collaboration with New York-based Parsons The New School for Design, the No. 1 school for design globally, ISDI has also forged a partnership with WPP, the world’s largest communication services to offer work-study programmes that bridge industry-academia gap. Radha Kapoor, founder & executive director, ISDI, talks to Businessworld’s Ruhail Amin on creative entrepreneurship.
Excerpts:
How would you describe your role as a creative entrepreneur?With the rise of startups, design and innovation are playing a critical role in the tectonic shift in the Indian economy. In India, we have still not realised the potential impact these two elements can have in the economy. This is where the role of a creative entrepreneur is enhanced. All of DOIT Creations’ business ventures, of which ISDI is the cynosure, share a common DNA — new age, game changing ventures based on the tenets of creativity, design and innovation. At DOIT we identify various sectors which have the inherent potential to be tapped and we seek to create an impact using Design and Innovation.
Many would have expected you to take up the corporate role. How did the entrepreneurial journey start?I am a right brained person, and have a profound interest in all aspects pertaining to design including how to leverage design in order to create solutions. After my time at Parsons in New York, I realised there was a strong need for creating an ecosystem around Design, Innovation, Creativity and Entrepreneurship (DICE). DICE can play a key role in transforming the Indian economy. This realisation is what lead me to found DOIT Creations.
What differentiates ISDI from other institutions?There are three key differentiators. First, the curriculum has been designed in partnership with the world’s leading design school, Parsons, and reflects an adequate balance of best global practices adapted to succeed in the Indian environment. Second, ISDI has number of partnerships with the likes of WPP for the School of Communication, and with Microsoft Ventures for an accelerator, etc. ISDI is also in the process of housing multiple experience centres by global leaders in the field of devices, social media, technology, etc. This gives the student a global outlook. Third, ISDI will also house multiple venture incubation centres under the ISDI One / ACE umbrella which will enable students to transcend beyond education into entrepreneurship.
Thus, a global outlook combined with practical, industry relevant curriculum make ISDI stand out.
What are your biggest learnings?Each of these ventures has been an extremely enriching experience in terms of the learning as well as the diverse set of people I get to meet. The fact that DOIT Creations works on ventures across media & entertainment, sports, content as well as ISDI, has helped me develop a well-rounded perspective on the evolution of the “new age” sectors of our economy.
How has ISDI leveraged technology to meet its curriculum demands and where do you see ISDI five years from now?Technology is undoubtedly one of the key enablers of progressing rapidly into the future. And so, we have established the ISDI Creative Accelerator, which is powered by Microsoft Ventures and through this platform we are actively investing in innovative design and technology for the future. On the academic front, game development essentials and an introductory course on VFX that covers 3D visual effects essentials have been designed. This will enable students to create interactive media solutions.
Radha is a board member of BW
