About / People / David Vásquez Martán

——— Early Career

David studied at the Istituto Europeo di Design (IED) in Madrid and holds a Master’s in Design Methods from the IIT Institute of Design (ID) in Chicago—one of the world’s leading schools in systems thinking, human-centered innovation, and design strategy.

He began his career through the Microsoft e-Ambassador Program and later joined Oscar Mariné, known for his work with filmmaker Pedro Almodóvar.
He taught in the European Design Labs Master’s program, led by Gala Fernández and Raquel Pelta, where students conducted immersive research trips across European cities and engaged with professionals like Erik Spiekermann and Irma Boom. Some of the seminars included thinkers such as Ezio Manzini and Marc Augé.

——— Educational Projects

In collaboration with José Corrujeira, and under the commission of Riccardo Marzullo, director of IED Madrid, David co-developed the IED Toolkit—a collaborative design methodology presented in several international contexts. The toolkit was first introduced at MadridDesignNet, an innovation platform that brought together professionals, students, and institutions across Europe and Latin America.

One of its most notable applications was at the World Expo Shanghai 2010, held in China, where the toolkit was featured at the Madrid Pavilion, located in the Urban Best Practice Area. This global exposition, focused on innovation and urban development, attracted over 70 million visitors. As part of the program, David led workshops with students from Donghua University, applying the toolkit in a cross-cultural and multidisciplinary context.

——— Research and Strategy

At ID Chicago, David deepened his focus on design methods as a tool for large-scale transformation. His graduate work combined research, systems thinking, and applied strategy, with special interest in healthcare innovation and communication.

At ID, he contributed to the End Obesity campaign with Larry Keeley, collaborated on Equiline with Kim Erwin, and developed the identity for Article, a studio led by Martin Thaler.
He also co-authored research with Lina Duarte Tovar as part of the Ahead Platform, exploring how these emerging trends shape the future of education.

Following his studies, he joined Yahoo Finance in Sunnyvale, California. There, he worked as part of a multidisciplinary team designing user interfaces for high-volume financial data platforms, helping improve the experience of millions of users navigating global market information.

——— Independent Practice

In 2020, he founded AlbusStudio in Panama City, focusing on branding and digital design for private banking and investment firms.

He is a member of Abundance 360, led by Peter Diamandis, and completed the course Art & Technology: From AI to NFTs at the Sotheby’s Institute of Art, taught by Gareth Fletcher, with guest contributions from Right Click Save and SuperRare.

He continues to explore the intersection of storytelling, design, and future thinking through projects such as FuturePanama, MetLab Latam, and other initiatives focused on relevance, depth, and cultural insight.