Megan Patel

Head of New Product Development, SwipeSense Inc.

Chicago

My childhood summers in Kenya ignited my passion for creating products, services, and business models that empower individuals and inspire delight. I remember in Kenya washing each piece of clothing by hand and wondering why there wasn’t a better solution adapted for their constraints. The idea of designing creative solutions to problems like these captivated my interest and led to my career in innovation, design, and development. I love what I do. Currently I’m establishing and leading a process to generate, prioritize, and qualify new product concepts for commercial viability that has transformed a single product startup into a platform company. My time at IDEO, University of Chicago Booth, and a tech startup has given me a unique perspective on how to balance desirability with technical feasibility and critical business metrics.