Stanford Center for Innovation and Design Research
Future of Wellness
Join us at the beautiful Stanford Farm to explore what’s next in consumer wellness. The event will feature VC perspectives, student founder pitches, and insights from a growth-stage skin longevity brand. Lunch will be provided (RSVP Required).
Stanford Center for Innovation
and Design Research (SCIDR)
The Stanford Center for Innovation and Design Research conducts interdisciplinary research into consumer product innovation at the Civil and Environmental Engineering as well as Doerr School of Sustainability. Formerly known as the Stanford Food Design Lab, SCIDR has expanded its research horizon to encompass the broader food, beauty, and wellness landscape. Our work focuses on understanding the preferences and behaviors of younger generations, including Gen Z and Gen Alpha, to inform human-centered product design, particularly in Consumer Packaged Goods (CPG).
SCIDR champions design thinking and open innovation as the theoretical foundation of our work. We conduct in-depth user research grounded in the Stanford d.school’s design thinking methodology, while fostering a dynamic ecosystem that brings together startups, large corporations, and academic partners. This approach enables cross-disciplinary collaboration and accelerates innovation.
Beyond research, SCIDR operates multiple startup accelerator programs for consumer founders, both on campus and beyond. These programs create a vibrant ecosystem that supports academic inquiry, knowledge creation, and actionable insights into successful cross-cultural innovation. Acting as a bridge between Asia and the U.S., SCIDR explores strategies for bringing consumer-focused products to market across diverse cultural contexts.
ConsumerInno Symposium, 2025
Areas of Research
Our research is organized around three primary themes, each addressing key aspects of consumer lifestyle through the lens of innovation and design.
Collaborations
In order to best meet the needs of our research collaborators, we begin by thoroughly
understanding their specific requirements. Through collaborative efforts,
we then design a customized program that will mutually benefit both parties.