Clever

Founder and CEO of Canoa, Federico Negro, was born in Uruguay during a time of political turmoil and lived in four countries by age 14. As a teenager in Chicago, he used music as a means of learning English, and during college became fascinated by forensic architecture, which informed his fixation with “how we build with what we build.” An Architect, designer, toolmaker, and entrepreneur, his first company, CASE, was acquired by WeWork. From there he served as the Global Head of Design for Wework during the company’s rapid expansion, and witnessed first-hand the pain points and environmental challenges that could be mitigated with better tools. So in 2019, he founded Canoa, an AI-driven, collaborative software aimed at revolutionizing the interior design and furniture industries by addressing environmental issues and becoming a tool to help us build a better future. 

Clever Confidential is Clever’s offshoot series, where we dig into the darker side of design - the shadowy, sometimes sordid tales hiding under a glossy topcoat of respectable legacy.

In Episode 4: Olivetti and the Race to Create the First Personal Computer, host Amy Devers and writer Andrew Wagner unravel a captivating story that challenges our assumptions about the origins of the personal computer. Many credit Silicon Valley with this innovation, but should we really look elsewhere?

Olivetti was founded in 1908 by Camillo Olivetti. This Italian powerhouse thrived under his son Adriano, who revolutionized industrial design with a human-centered approach, merging aesthetics with user experience. Olivetti became a titan in office machines and desktop computing, poised to lead the charge into a new technological era.

But as Olivetti rises, dark clouds gather. Adriano and brilliant engineer Mario Tchou meet mysterious and untimely fates, shrouded in Cold War intrigue and fierce corporate rivalry. Despite these tragic losses, Olivetti unveiled the Programma 101 in 1965, hailed as the world’s first desktop computer, forever altering our perception of technology.

So why has Olivetti’s remarkable legacy faded into obscurity? We peel back the layers of this enigma, revealing a web of intrigue—mysterious deaths, hostile takeovers, potential CIA involvement, and hidden narratives that reshaped the tech landscape and distorted our collective cultural memory. 

Many thanks to this episode’s guest expert Barry Katz. 

Custom surface artists Lisa Donohoe and Brynn Gelbard met and fell in love in the queer underbelly scene of San Francisco in 2002, a time before bi-national same-sex marriage was legal. Their diverse community was built on love, curiosity and celebrating each other's differences. In an evolution that was equal parts organic maturity and cosmic intervention, Brynn and Lisa moved to Los Angeles and founded Londubh Studio, specializing in elaborate and maximalist hand-applied surface designs. Now the duo, oft considered the design world’s secret weapon, are translating their wildness, love, magic, and the sacred, through exquisite artistry and pristine craft, into visual celebrations that vibrate with love and emanate joy.  

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SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT: Clever is a finalist for the Signal Awards in the Curators Shaping Culture category! This means we’re also eligible for a Listener’s Choice Award! Will you please vote for Clever? It would mean the world to us!

Co-Founder of Deem Journal, designer Nu Goteh was born in Liberia and came to the US with his family as a refugee at the age of 3. His first career ambition, as a model son of African parents, was to become a doctor / lawyer. But as a sneakerhead, skater, and early-adopter of the internet, he kept making opportunities for himself in marketing, promoting, and graphic design. He even landed a job at Puma while he was only a Sophomore in college. After successful roles at Red Bull and Sonos, he was comfortable in his talent for adding value and creating desirability for brands, but uncomfortable with being fast-tracked to the top of “cool black guy stuff,” a pigeon-hole that felt too small for his aspirations and skills. So he went back to school for a Master’s in Strategic Design and Management. Now, as a founding principal of Room For Magic, Nu is using his unique talents to address complex creative challenges and facilitate equitable exchange between brands and communities. As if that weren’t enough, Nu along with Marquise Stillwell and Alice Grandoit (his partner at Room for Magic), have founded Deem Journal, a deeply thought-provoking publication centered on design as a social practice. Now, with issue 3 Envisioning Equity, recently released, Deem is leading the way in presenting meaningful narratives around the process of design, and helping us all grow, heal, and imagine new possibilities in the process. 

Founder and President of ThinkLab, Amanda Schneider, grew up outside of Chicago, inspired by a blend of engineering and design. Now a self-described “designer by degree, journalist by accident, and researcher by choice” at the helm of ThinkLab, she examines the ecosystem of the design world, unearthing and synthesizing the social and cultural shifts and drivers that impact the interiors industry. Together with her team, she offers insights and context that can empower better decision-making while also bridging the communication gap between creatives and the business sector. A keynote speaker (catch her recent TEDx talk) and the host of the podcast Design Nerds Anonymous, Amanda shares her wisdom on topics like communication strategies, storytelling, and the future of work.