Mizuho Maeda

Bio

Hi, I’m Mizuho Maeda — a service designer based between Tokyo and San Francisco, working at the intersection of human-centered design and business strategy.

Most recently, I was a Service Design Lead at btrax, a global design consultancy, where I supported new business development and facilitated design thinking programs. Over three years, I led six 10-week design thinking programs in San Francisco, facilitating hands-on workshops that guided first-time participants through the design thinking process to develop new business concepts.

Before joining btrax, I spent four years at Panasonic, starting in global marketing for home appliances and later launching a social impact venture as an intrapreneur. I developed a 360-degree keychain camera to help victims of sexual street harassment document incidents. The project was selected as a Top 20 and Top 5 finalist in two entrepreneurship accelerator programs and advanced to the pre-launch stage, shaping my approach to design, business, technology, and systemic change.

I came to Berkeley because I believe the most pressing social challenges, such as gender inequality, require designers who can work fluently across disciplines. I’m here to build that fluency and to find collaborators who share that ambition.