Lorenz Langgartner has led Serviceplan Innovation, a unit focused on creative experiments, product design and acceleration, together with his partner Franz Röppischer since 2015.

What was a standout moment from your time at the Academy?

When I attended the Academy in 2012, one of my personal highlights was the session with Bob Greenberg. Around that time, R/GA was moving into product development and acting as an accelerator. This was a big inspiration for what we’re doing at Serviceplan IO today, where we also work with startups in exchange for equity, starting with the first braille smartwatch Dot Watch, which subsequently won a Cannes Gold Lion in Innovation in 2015. The story continues, as we just released our latest product Dot Go, an innovative assistive app for the visually impaired.

How did you manage to take part in the Creative Academy?

When I took part in the Creative Academy in 2012, initially I didn’t tell anyone and paid for everything myself, but after also winning my first Cannes Lion that year, the agency sponsored me retroactively.

Why would you recommend LIONS Academies?

The Creative Academy is not a field trip. It’s a week packed to the brim with input, and it’s up to you what you make out of it.

Without LIONS Academy, I would not have had the chance to connect to so many awesome young creatives from around the world.