Hazleen Ahmad, Founder of Neuropower World and Chair & Founder of ION Singapore, to launch pilot projects and training programmes embedding neurodesign into workplaces, housing, parks, and transport hubs
SINGAPORE, Nov. 18, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- The Institute of Neurodiversity (ION) Singapore and Neuropower World, dedicated to advancing inclusion and opportunities for neurominorities, hosted their first Neurodesign Roundtable — Re-thinking Urban Spaces: Designing Cities for Every Mind. The session brought together leaders from urban planning, business, and the community to explore how cities can better support cognitive diversity and mental well-being.
With 15-20% of the global population being neurodivergent, and brain-related conditions projected to cost the world US$16 trillion by 2030, designing for cognitive inclusion is not only a moral imperative it is an economic strategy.
The newly launched report – Re-thinking Urban Spaces: Designing Cities for Every Mind – builds on global insights into the emerging Brain Economy, where nations increasingly compete over cognitive capital the capacity to learn, innovate, and adapt rather than solely on resources or data.
Hazleen Ahmad, Founder of Neuropower World, Deputy CEO of the Institute of Neurodiversity (ION), and Chair & Founder of ION Singapore, also shared during the World Economic Forum Riyadh session, Unlocking Human Potential in the Age of Cognitive Capital, "Every brain accommodated is a mind activated, and every mind activated is a new frontier of growth. By designing for both neurohealth and neurosensory needs, we unlock human potential and build resilient, creative, humane nations."
Charlotte Valeur, Founder of the Institute of Neurodiversity (ION), added, "Designing for neuroinclusion is designing for humanity. The Institute of Neurodiversity is proud to see Singapore taking a leading role in embedding neurodesign into how we plan, build, and live. This is not just about accommodating difference, it is about building systems that recognise the full spectrum of human potential."
Key Insights from the Report include:
As Hazleen Ahmad further shared, "When we observe nature, we gain insight into human-centred design. For example, the Kingfisher inspired Japanese Shinkansen engineers to reshape the train's nose, reducing noise and improving aerodynamics. Similarly, by studying human cognition and neurodiversity, neurodesign helps us create urban systems that are faster, kinder, and designed for everyone."
Kay Sargent, Bestselling Author and Senior Principal, Director of Thought Leadership, Interiors – HOK, shared, "A growing percentage of individuals consider themselves neurodivergent, one in five people. Yet our cities and systems are rarely designed with these minds in mind. Neurodesign helps us build environments that support dignity, focus, and inclusion."
Future-ready cities are designed for the full range of human cognition, and neurodesign turns this vision into reality. Re-thinking Urban Spaces: Designing Cities for Every Mind marks an opportunity for Singapore to evolve from a Smart Nation and City in Nature into a Well Nation, where mental health and inclusion are built into urban life through cross-sector collaboration in planning, public health, and education.
Roundtable participants included: Hazleen Ahmad, Edwin Lim, Jasmine Palardy, Mustapha Kamal Zulkarnain, Eva Tisnikar, Shalaka Samant, Anuj Jain, Jin Chan, and Fred Zikry (See Annex for full designations).
About the Institute of Neurodiversity, Singapore
In Singapore, ION connects lived experience with science and policy to shape systems that enable inclusion across workplaces, education, and healthcare. ION Singapore is committed to transforming lives by fostering Awareness, Research, Connections, Collaborations, and Celebrations.
For more information, please visit: www.ioneurodiversity.sg.
About Neuropower World
We bridge neuroscience to society by turning complex science, systems, and lived neurodivergent experience into practical, human-centred tools. Through neurotechnology, neurodesign, and neuroinclusive strategy, we create scalable, science-backed solutions for a kind world where all minds thrive.
For more information, please visit: www.neuropower.world
and follow Neuropower World on LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/neuropowerglobal/.
Media enquiries:
Rothman & Roman Group (PR agency)
Diana Estella Peter | diana.estella@rothmanasia.com | +65 8498 9424
Olivia-Mae Tan | oliviamae.tan@rothmanasia.com | +65 9763 3312
Annex
Roundtable Panellists
** The press release content is from PR Newswire. Bastille Post is not involved in its creation. **
INSTITUTE OF NEURODIVERSITY, NEUROPOWER WORLD, AND SINGAPORE BRINGS NEURODESIGN TO THE FOREFRONT OF SINGAPORE'S URBAN PLANNING
The Initiative Aims to Address the Pain Points of Family Filmmaking
BEIJING, Dec. 13, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- On December 6th, the 3rd FamilyLens International Film Festival opened in Beijing. SmallRig, a global specialized provider of imaging solutions, collaborating with FamilyLens, is empowering family filmmaking through various initiatives, including the Family Filmmaking Co-Creation Initiative, a dedicated family filmmaking kit, and a social impact screening program.
Deepening the "Co-Creation Initiatives"
The Co-Creation Initiatives are a series of global creative initiatives open to filmmakers and image creators worldwide. Through deep collaboration across multiple dimensions — including product co-creation, discovery and promotion, and content co-creation — SmallRig aims to expand the boundaries of mobile filmmaking and bring the spirit of Free Your Dream to life with creators everywhere.
Following the launch of the Mobile Filmmaking Co-Creation Initiative at the 14th International Smartphone Film Festival, SmallRig announced the launch of the Family Filmmaking Co-Creation Initiative on December 6th at the 3rd FamilyLens International Film Festival. The initiative invites global creators and every family to participate, focusing on three core directions: product co-creation, work promotion, and content co-creation, to explore the possibilities of family filmmaking for everyone.
Mr. Zhou Yang, Founder and CEO of SmallRig, shared the inspiration for the initiative: "The initiative is rooted in the immense universality and profound emotional depth inherent in family narratives, which serve as a common emotional bond connecting global audiences. We firmly believe that in this era, where everyone can be a content creator, every family can and should film their own story. The instinct to create is deeply embedded in the human spirit, and every home is the origin of countless narratives."
Gu Xue, Founder and Director of the FamilyLens International Film Festival, stated: "We hope that people and practitioners around the world who care about family movies can find suitable solutions and gain insights from the Co-Creation Initiatives. We look forward to more and more people exploring the field of 'Home' together through this initiative."
To address the pain points of family filmmaking, SmallRig officially released the SmallRig Family Filmmaking Kit at the opening ceremony. The kit includes a high-quality microphone, fill light, and a portable tripod, specifically designed to achieve "professional function democratization" and "complex feature simplification." During the FamilyLens Workshop, attendees experienced the convenience of the equipment firsthand. Many expressed that the kit truly solves many problems, enabling ordinary families to complete necessary filming without specialized photography knowledge.
Social Impact Screening Program
The 3rd FamilyLens International Film Festival is open to the public from December 6th to 14th. The festival opened with the screening of well-received documentary: K-Family Affairs. In addition to the competition section, the festival features several distinctive sections, including the Reframing Home Movies— An Italian Retrospective, Youth Film Program, Filmmaker in Focus, and the Social Impact Program. Four major awards, such as the Real-Life Portrait Award and the Artistic Exploration Award, will also be presented.
As a key component of the Co-Creation Initiatives, the SmallRig Image Development Fund partnered with the FamilyLens International Film Festival to curate the "Social Impact Screening Program." This unit focuses on elevating awareness of critical issues within the family unit, advocating for a new reflection: "Starting with Seeing, Concluding with Understanding."
Arum Nam, Director of K-Family Affairs, stated:
"Starting with the stories of your family, your friends, and yourself, I believe this personal narrative can connect directly to the bigger society."
SmallRig believes that truly meaningful social impact storytelling stems from awareness in proximity—achieved by using the lens to penetrate the daily surface and enabling a deep, empathetic "Seeing with Empathy."
The four featured works in this unit are:
- People of the Ascent
- Granny's Lost and Found
- Ruixi at Fourteen
- No Country For My Maternal Grandma
These films highlight four family issues that require "seeing": the yearning of left-behind children, the mental isolation of Alzheimer's patients, the elderly searching for subjectivity in their drifting lives, and the emotional volatility and struggle of Bipolar Disorder.
Strategic Outlook and Future Expansion
SmallRig will continue to support the Family Filmmaking Co-Creation Initiative's deep development through promotional campaigns and practical workshops focused on family movie scenarios.
The overall goal of SmallRig's Global Co-creation Initiative is to continuously explore and meet the growing, diverse needs of global creators across different vertical domains. SmallRig is committed to persistently expanding the co-creation model into more imaging sectors, collaborating with industry partners to push the boundaries of imaging and grant global creators broader creative freedom.
About SmallRig
Founded in 2013, SmallRig is an innovation-driven global company that designs and manufactures comprehensive support solutions and accessories for all content creation needs. Trusted by over four million creators globally, SmallRig pioneered the User Co-creation Design (UCD) philosophy and the DreamRig Program.
For more information, visit: www.smallrig.com.
** The press release content is from PR Newswire. Bastille Post is not involved in its creation. **
SmallRig and FamilyLens Launch Global Family Filmmaking Initiative at 3rd FamilyLens International Film Festival
SmallRig and FamilyLens Launch Global Family Filmmaking Initiative at 3rd FamilyLens International Film Festival
SmallRig and FamilyLens Launch Global Family Filmmaking Initiative at 3rd FamilyLens International Film Festival
