Liya Safina Keynote Speaker

Award-winning designer at the forefront of AI and XR innovation
Ledd experience design within Google’s XR division
Advisor to global brands including Nike, Alibaba and ASICS

Liya Safina's Biography

Liya Safina is an award-winning designer, investor and board advisor with over 12 years of experience navigating the intersection of frontier technology (AI, XR, robotics) and global market adoption.

Her track record of leadership spans high-growth sectors, including AI-integrated mobility (Toyota’s Woven City), blockchain, and global e-commerce. She has served as a strategic advisor and designer to a blue-chip portfolio including Nike, Alibaba, and ASICS, as well as cultural icons like Pharrell Williams and Björk.

Most recently, Liya led experience design within Google’s XR division, defining the spatial computing strategy for Google Maps, Photos, and TV across headsets and smart glasses.

A former Founder-in-Residence at 500 Startups and seasoned Angel Investor, Liya provides the foresight necessary for organizations to scale internationally. Her expertise is particularly sought after for Western-Eastern market integration, having navigated complex product launches across diverse regulatory and cultural landscapes. Liya currently serves as an Executive Creative Advisor and sits on the boards of major European immersive technology initiatives. A 2025 Unity Innovation Award winner and Estée Lauder VV Visionary Fellow, she is a frequent keynote speaker at global forums such as SXSW, where she addresses the future of human-centric innovation and the ethics of emerging tech.

Smart glasses and AI, XR and emerging technologies

Innovation and the future of work

Organizational transformation and culture

The future of physical experience

Entrepreneurship and investment perspectives

She draws on more than a decade at the forefront of AI, XR and robotics to help leaders understand how emerging technologies reshape industries and user experiences.
She offers strategic insights from designing and advising for global brands including Google, Nike and Alibaba on building technology products at scale.
She reveals how organisations can translate frontier technologies such as spatial computing and AI into practical products and market adoption.
She brings a global perspective on innovation, helping companies navigate product launches and growth across Western and Eastern markets.
She challenges audiences to design human centric technology that balances innovation, ethics and long term impact.