We’ve been thinking about aging all wrong.

We are in the midst of a longevity revolution.

Longevity is not about adding years to your life, despite what those guys with the brain freezers tell you.

It’s about adding life to your years.

Longevity is about thriving with purpose, passion, and potential.

The number of people over 80 globally will triple between 2020 and 2050.

$1.3 trillion.

That was the value of the aging market in 2023.

In 2031 it will reach $2.3 trillion.

Trillion. With a T.

This is a massive opportunity for design innovation, investment, and impact.

But we’re getting in our own way.

We’re still designing for function rather than ambition.

Older adults are not looking for products that help them function better.

They want products that unlock the potential to thrive, connect, and express themselves.

It’s time to shift our innovation mindsets.

Let’s design for a future that celebrates the richness and vibrancy of longevity.

Let’s design for a future where older adults are not surviving — they’re thriving.

Because the real innovation opportunity isn’t assistive technology.

It’s products and experiences that enhance mobility, safety, curiosity, and independence.

On June 6 at IDEO we will be hosting for a hands-on exploration of this topic.

We’ll use design fiction to bring imagined futures to life.

Storytelling. Artifacts from the future. Scenario building. World building.

Let’s make “better with age” not a mindset, but a movement.

Want to know more? Connect with us.

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