Organisers
UnBoxed 2026 is organised by the Design Factory Global Network in collaboration with our venue host RTU Design Factory.
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We are always happy to hear more from you and answer any questions you may have. Send us a message at unboxed-dfgn@aalto.fi.
Floris van der Marel
Lead organiser of UnBoxed
Elīna Miķelsone
Head of hosting venue RTU Design Factory, Riga Technical University​
Aaro Packalén​
Coordinator or Design Factory Global Network and Lead organiser of IDFW​
Giulia Rinaldo
Communications Assistant of Design Factory Global Network
Antonia Gimmer
Events and Project Management Assistant of Design Factory Global Network
About...
... the
Design Factory Global Network
The Design Factory Global Network (DFGN) is a network of around 40 innovation hubs based in universities and research institutions in 25 countries across five continents. Each Design Factory serves as an experimentation platform for interdisciplinary, problem-based learning. We bring together students, educators, researchers, and industry partners to work on real challenges.
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The network's mission is to reshape the way education is done, and to build the diversity of skills and perspectives needed to operate in rapidly evolving environments.
About...
RTU Design Factory
RTU Design Factory is part of the Science and Innovation Centre at Riga Technical University, Latvia's oldest and largest technical university. Established within Riga Technical University in 2016, the Design Factory serves as a platform for students to develop innovative ideas, build industry connections, and acquire entrepreneurial competencies. It operates one of the best-equipped prototyping workshops in the Baltics with facilities for 3D printing, laser cutting, CNC milling, and large-format production.
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RTU Design Factory is led by Dr Elīna Miķelsone, a researcher and innovation expert known for developing the Coopetition format: a collaborative hackathon model that has received international recognition.
