Tanya Sahdev

Tanya is driven by a simple but powerful idea: design can shape more just, inclusive, and imaginative systems. At Demos Helsinki, she puts this belief into practice – working at the intersection of cities, governance, and sustainability to support transformative change. Tanya brings a design-led perspective to complex societal challenges, combining systems and design thinking, multidisciplinary collaboration and co-creation to drive meaningful social impact and innovation.

She has previously worked on architectural and design projects across a range of scales located in India and the United States. These included both public and private sector initiatives in aviation infrastructure, design strategy, and masterplanning.

Alongside her role at Demos Helsinki, Tanya is pursuing a Master’s degree in International Design Business Management at Aalto University with a minor in Advanced Energy Solutions, focusing on service design, innovation ecosystems, and just transitions.

In her free time, you’ll likely find Tanya outdoors on a run, cooking with friends, or on her ongoing mission to find the best matcha latte in Helsinki!