Paloma Strelitz, is Head of Product & Creative Director of Patch, a startup developing a ‘Work Near Home’ ecosystem of neighborhood workspaces and cultural venues across the UK. Prior to Patch, Paloma co-founded Assemble, the acclaimed architecture and design studio focussed on promoting civic and cultural development. Assemble’s purpose-driven approaches were recognised in the receipt of the 2015 Turner Prize. Paloma writes, speaks, and advises on cities, culture, and technology, regularly presenting and advising in the UK and internationally, with roles spanning Design Advocate to the Mayor of London (2017-21), to judge of the European Prize for Urban Public Space (2022). Paloma studied architecture at Cambridge University and the Royal College of Art. She was awarded the Loeb Fellowship at Harvard University (2019-20), where she concentrated on technology’s scope to power inclusive change. She’s active in the UK’s startup and venture communities, and in 2021 completed the Newton Venture Program with the London Business School and LocalGlobe VC – a first-of-its-kind tech investor program.