How I Create One Sustainable Innovation Concept Every Day — And Why You Should Too

When I set out to create one sustainable innovation concept every day, I didn’t know it would transform my life. At first, it was an experiment — could I sustain creativity at this scale? Could ideas flow endlessly if I pushed myself to look closer, question more, and imagine boldly?

Now, over 500 days later, I know the answer. Innovation isn’t a spark that strikes randomly. It’s a discipline — a lifestyle. It’s about choosing to see the world not as it is, but as it could be. It’s about engaging deeply with both beauty and brokenness, with awe and frustration, and daring to create solutions.

This journey has taught me that sustainable innovations come not from extraordinary minds, but from ordinary people who choose to pay attention, ask questions, and act.

The World is Overflowing with Ideas — If You Choose to See Them

Sustainable innovation begins with curiosity. It’s about walking through life as if everything is new — like a child seeing the world for the first time.

Some of my most meaningful ideas came from moments of raw emotion.

Half a year into the war in Ukraine, a very close family member of mine passed away, leaving me a signed copy of their book with a heartfelt message. For over a year, I couldn’t bring myself to open it. When I finally did, their words reminded me of the connections we leave behind. That moment inspired the concept of holographic memory archives.

The initial idea evolved into the Family Beyond Boundaries concept, a future-focused exploration of how light-field holograms could enable families to interact in real time, even across continents — strengthening emotional bonds in an era of increasing disconnection.

But inspiration isn’t always gentle.

The war in Ukraine — and the suffering it brought to people I knew — pushed me to act. Friends and acquaintances were injured, displaced, or left without homes, water, food, or energy. I tried to help directly, but the scale of devastation demanded broader, more systemic solutions. Many of my innovations — like the orbital power relay system, personal rainwater harvesting systems, and a kinetic mesh armor suit — were born from this urgent need.

My mother’s story also shaped my work. Diagnosed with cancer amid missile attacks, she embodied resilience. My search for ways to support her health and well-being led me to explore sustainable materials for medical care, wearable technologies for recovery, and the whole spectrum of possible solutions at the intersection of health and sustainability.

Innovation begins with noticing what hurts — and daring to imagine what could heal.

Limits Spark Breakthroughs

When I created the world’s first collection of clothing using industrial large-format 3D printers years ago, it wasn’t just about pushing boundaries. It was about proving that sustainable fashion could be real, functional, and beautiful.

We started by re-engineering existing 3D printers to handle flexible materials. When that wasn’t enough, we developed a proprietary 3D printer — the first of its kind for flexible materials. I also became the first to file a provisional patent for 3D-printed clothing based on a zero-waste sustainable approach.

It wasn’t easy. The process was expensive, slow, and imperfect. But constraints fueled creativity.

Wearing those 3D-printed clothes — a jacket, multicolored shorts, flexible tops — became more than a statement. I stopped buying traditional clothing, choosing instead to embody the change I wanted to see.

I promised myself I wouldn’t buy new clothes until I could produce one on my 3D printers.

Sustainability often requires us to make uncomfortable choices. I chose not to let convenience win, and that choice fueled progress. Imagine how the world might change if more of us made small, deliberate sacrifices in the name of our planet.

Limitations aren’t barriers. They’re blueprints for progress.

Unlearning What We Know — To Imagine What We Don’t

To innovate, we must unlearn. We must be willing to let go of what we think we know and ask: What if we’re wrong?

I found inspiration walking through the heat-soaked streets of Guangzhou, China. August’s oppressive temperatures made it nearly unbearable to be outdoors. Instead of turning inward, I turned outward — observing how people, businesses, and city planners adapted. That trip inspired innovations like wearable cooling shelters and drone-generated localized wind systems — technologies to combat extreme heat, which is rapidly becoming a global crisis.

Some places are just warehouses of inspiration. In Guangdong Museum in Guangzhou, I was captivated not only by its parametric architectural design but also by the concept of a book library café. Beyond that, I discovered an ancient Chinese book that showcased intricate 3D artworks and lifestyle products made from wood and carved with knives — pieces so complex and sustainable that even our most advanced additive manufacturing technologies struggle to replicate them today. I left the museum with an idea for a new additive manufacturing technology designed to work with biomaterials by default.

Inspiration isn’t confined to labs. It’s in museums, galleries, startup events, and conversations with strangers. It’s in breaking routines — choosing a new route home, trying new foods, or reading books outside your field.

Ideas emerge in the spaces between disciplines and experiences — if we stay curious.

Imagination Confidence: Crushing the Frame, Not Just Shifting It

During a recent conversation, I asked my partner and co-innovator, if one of my concepts might shift the Overton window too much — if it might be too bold.

Without hesitation, he said, “It doesn’t just shift it — it crushes it.”

Innovation requires courage — the confidence to propose something radical and to face rejection. Too many ideas die because we hold ourselves back, afraid of judgment or misunderstanding. But what if we didn’t?

Ideas need space to fail before they can succeed.

Innovation requires courage — the belief that your ideas, no matter how wild, deserve a chance. Not all of them will work. Most won’t. But that’s the point.

The world doesn’t need safer ideas. It needs bolder ones.

Real Innovation Solves Real Problems

We live in an age of automation, artificial intelligence, and hyper-connectivity, yet millions still face hunger, homelessness, and displacement, and these numbers are growing. Climate disasters are intensifying, and wars continue to destroy ecosystems and lives.

And yet, most of our technologies focus on helping people shop faster or gamble more efficiently.

We’ve normalized technologies that optimize ads and betting algorithms — but what about tools to rebuild communities, decarbonize industries, or heal ecosystems?

The most transformative ideas aren’t born from personal ambition. They’re born from empathy. They emerge when we pay attention to those who are suffering — when we see not just data, but lives.

True innovation asks, “What can I do to make the world more livable, equitable, and sustainable?”

True innovation solves real pain. It prioritizes people and the planet.

Make Innovation a Habit — Not a Destination

Creativity isn’t magic. It’s a habit.

What helps?

? Be present. Pay attention to the world around you.

? Explore constantly. Travel, visit exhibitions, and talk to strangers.

? Feel deeply. Let emotions — anger, grief, awe — fuel ideas.

? Collaborate. Find a partner who challenges and inspires you.

? Rest. Step away from screens. Let boredom open space for creativity.

? Learn endlessly. Dive into physics, economics, biology — whatever catches your attention.

And most importantly — start.

Imagine the Future — Then Build It

What if clothes could heal skin?

What if drones could cool cities?

What if floating ecosystems could save endangered species?

These aren’t hypothetical questions. They’re seeds of real concepts I’ve explored. Some are prototypes. Others are still drafts. But all of them push the boundaries of what’s possible.

We need more dreamers who build — and more builders who dream. We need courage, imagination, and empathy to create not just better technologies, but better futures.

The world doesn’t just need innovation. It needs innovators.

And maybe — just maybe — that starts with you.

I’m glad to announce my upcoming book—365 Days of Innovation: A Blueprint for a Better Tomorrow—set for release in 2025!

Born out of my Sustainable Innovation Challenge, this book presents groundbreaking concepts to tackle the world’s most urgent challenges. Each idea is shared under a Creative Commons license to ignite collaboration and inspire action for a sustainable future.

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