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September 17, 2021
Maria is our co-founder and Head of Product Development. Originally from Bogota she is based in Switzerland and heads the development of the Zoe platform. Maria is a true innovator, an award-winning product designer and has worked on numerous products at the intersection of new technologies and design.
Q: Can you tell us a bit about your background?
After obtaining my Bachelor in Industrial Design at the prestigious ECAL in Lausanne, Switzerland, I turned myself towards programming and new technologies. I followed the Interaction Design Master degree at the HEAD where I met co-founders Emilie and Sylvain. In 2014, we decided to found our own studio focused on creating unique user experiences with emerging technologies – from cutting edge augmented reality installations, to immersive theater and virtual reality experiences that won multiple awards around the world. At the same time I started working at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology on educational robotics. I gained expertise in both user centered digital products and educational tools for what has now become Zoe Immersive.
Q: What is your role within the team?
Though I am not a programmer, I’ve always been interested in coding and I am familiar with computational thinking. Understanding the basics of abstraction I can easily communicate with developers and engineers. Zoe is a design driven product and my role is to ensure the bridge between programming and design. I lead a team of technical designers and developers, facilitating and contributing to the implementation of the software.
Q: How do you see the future of the company?
The need for a platform like Zoe is now undeniable. As early as 2017 we were already shaping a marketplace to foster 3D immersive creation. With the Creator Economy growing and remote virtual collaboration and learning becoming essential, we are bringing real value to new generations.
Connect with me on LinkedIn here.