Ten Years on the Cusp

2007
One idea.
Years in the making.

2008
One presenter says yes.
Oh s#!+, this is really happening.

2008-2017
One conference about the design of everything.
Everything?

Yes. Everything. Over the past ten years, we’ve been proud to present 245 artists, scientists, engineers, entrepreneurs, dreamers, and innovators who’ve shared their stories of creativity, discovery, innovation, failure, risk, challenge, persistence, and reward.

And through it all, Cusp Conference has remained at the forefront of technology, culture, and thought, and stayed true to its original mission: to inspire the idea that everyone is a designer.

Here’s a look at the first ten years of Cusp—by the numbers.

253

Presentations

Industries

Art

Most Common Industry

In the past ten years, “designer” jobs have popped up in an expanding number of professions. But regardless of job title, everyone is a designer in our book. We believe design is anything done with intention. So from the age-old to the space-age, Cusp presenters have helped shape a wide range of industries and professions by innovating with intentionality. By design.

YOUNGEST PRESENTER
AGE

MEDIAN PRESENTER
AGE

OLDEST PRESENTER
AGE

What do an elementary-aged industrial designer and a former gymnast turned secretary of state have in common?

They’re taking on new challenges and designing solutions. Sometimes perspective and experience come from unexpected places and unexpected people.

While a majority of Cusp Conference presenters are from the United States (we are Chicago-based, after all), they’re exploring the unknown, reacting to global issues, and working to make the world a healthier place. Explore the map below to see how Cusp presenters have changed and been changed by events and places around the globe.

253

Presentations

Topics

Art

Most Common Topic

As the Einstein-attributed adage goes, “The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again, but expecting different results.” Associational thinking helps open new entry-points to problems and spark previously unseen connections. That’s where Cusp, the thought-blender, comes in.

PRESENTATIONS ABOUT INNOVATION

PRESENTATIONS ABOUT SUSTAINABILITY

PRESENTATIONS ABOUT SWORD-SWALLOWING

We call it Cusp for a reason. The people we invite to present are on the edge, creating new ways to address challenges.

Choose a presenter/topic

Choose a presenter/topic, then tap the orange markers to read about the progression of events

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Google search trends:

Cusp is a unique format, intimate, the variety of presenters is unexpected and refreshing. A great way to recharge your creativity.

Nicole Locklair

SYPartners

Eclectic and wickedly interesting, Cusp is extremely engaging and filled with wow!

David Hanneman

McCain Foods

Intelligent, unique, thought-provoking, elucidating.

Mark Trinka

McCarthy & Trinka

Cusp is a great opportunity to retrain your brain to think outside the box, and get out of the daily grind.

Laurie Lee

Swift Passport & Visa

Most conferences are about the destination—the topic, problem, industry, etc. Cusp is about the journey—the process we struggle through to find answers.

Tim McCort

Kickdrum Strategy

Generous, sincere, creative. It just stokes me with hope of new ideas and good things happening.

Judy Sickle

Forward Design

A conference about the design of everything. Who can resist that description?

Doug Grant

Inqui Research

A great way to recharge and stimulate the areas of the brain that tend to get crusty with day to day living.

Laura Engel

BizCast

Not to toot our own horn, but we’ve gotten loads of these messages over the past ten years. It’s what keeps us going.

Year after year, Cusp attendees have let us know that they value the experience in the clearest way possible: they come back for more. And they often bring a friend or five.

3,264

Attendees

590

Titles

1161

Organizations

Founder

Most Common Title

Cusp Conference audiences have been as diverse as its presenters. With titles ranging from student to CEO, they’ve joined us from Fortune 100 companies, startups, universities, museums, not-for-profits, and the media. But they all share one common trait: they’re interested in the design of everything.