tm concepts, Design & Innovation, Vienna since 2011

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About

Michael ThurowInnovator & Customer Experience Strategist

Michael Thurow

Michael Thurow studied architecture at TU Graz and UPC Barcelona, ETSAV. After working in architecture practices in Vienna, Graz, Munich and Barcelona, he moved into industry, where he led Design, Innovation & R&D at an Austrian office furniture manufacturer, receiving the Staatspreis Design and the Red Dot Award along the way.

Since 2011 he has worked independently in design, innovation and customer experience with tm concepts, and since 2015 additionally as Managing Partner of the CX consultancy SHIFT11.

Alongside this, he is a lecturer at three universities and regularly delivers keynotes and inspirational talks on customer experience, innovation, design thinking and AI.

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Company

SHIFT11 GmbHStrategic Customer Experience Consulting

As co-founder and Managing Partner, Michael Thurow advises larger organizations at SHIFT11 GmbH on customer experience strategy, customer journey innovation and the use of artificial intelligence for better customer experiences.

With over 20 years of experience and more than 500 projects, SHIFT11 works with well-known brands and companies in Austria, the DACH region and internationally, including Albertina, Amundi, AWS, Erste Bank, H&M, HP, FFG, Mavie Next, ÖBB, PwC, Post Bus, Red Bull, UNIQA, Wiener Linien, Wiener Stadtwerke and Wien Energie. Alongside this, Michael Thurow has spent over a decade coaching start-ups in accelerator programs, including the aws First Incubator, the MARC Program by Erste Foundation & ImpactHUB Vienna, and u:start at the University of Vienna.

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Teaching

Guest Lecturer at Three Universities

New Design University St. Pölten
Management by Innovation, Innolab & TrendLab, Master's program
Since 2015
Danube University Krems
Innovation, Design Thinking & Experience Design, Master's program
2016–2024
FH Upper Austria, Campus Hagenberg
Customer Experience Design, Bachelor's program
2024
Talks & Keynotes

Speaker on Customer Experience, AI & Innovation

From Design to Consulting
Kunstuniversität Linz
CX meets AI
WKO Niederösterreich
Driving CX with GenAI
Impulse Talk, Amazon Web Services
Triple Transformation in Creative Industries
Kreativwirtschaft Austria
AI, Ethics, Technology & Leadership
Keynote, FFG
AI in Customer Service, Gamechanger or Hype?
Panel, Wien Energie
Winning the Experience Economy
Inhouse Key Note
Business Development with Design Thinking
European Forum Alpbach
and more
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Awards
  • Staatspreis Design at Blaha, 2011
  • Red Dot Award at Blaha, 2011
  • Design Management Award, nomination, 2012
Involvement
  • Co-Founder & Co-Host, CX Leaders Round, since 2024
  • Founding Member, Alpbach-in-Motion Alumni Club, 2018–2019
  • Board Member, designaustria, 2011–2014
Publications
  • "How to Profit from Industrial Design", Creative Industries Styria & designaustria
  • "Phantasie in Kultur und Wirtschaft", Studien Verlag