Hello
Biography
Cyrus Clarke is a researcher, designer, and technologist working to reimagine the boundaries between technology, nature, and human connection. His work explores emerging technologies such as synthetic biology, machine learning, and biological computing, transforming digital data into poetic, tangible experiences that invite us to see technology as a medium for beauty and regeneration.
Drawing inspiration from speculative design to develop functional technology, his projects serve as prototypes for futures where technological advancements renew, restore and reconnect. As the founder of Grow Your Own Cloud, Cyrus demonstrated how DNA data storage could unlock a regenerative vision for data, extending the metaphor of a data cloud to a data forest.
His innovative work, featured by Netflix, Wired and exhibited internationally at venues such as SXSW, Ars Electronica, and Bozar Brussels, has earned him recognition including the Science Breakthrough of the Year award by Falling Walls in 2022. Now, as a researcher at MIT Media Lab, Cyrus is focused on bridging the gap between technology and nature, crafting a vision for the future of regenerative data.
Selected Awards
Science Breakthrough of the Year, Falling Walls
Art & Science (2022)
EU Starts Prize, Honorary Mention
Data Garden (2021)
UN Summer of Solutions
Grow Your Own Cloud (2019)
EU Starts Prize, Nomination
Urban Data Forest (2023)
Dezeen Awards, Sustainable Design, Longlisted
Data Garden (2021)
Core77 Design Awards, Speculative Design Award, Runner Up
Escaping the Strange Loop (2020)
Core77 Design Awards, Design for Social Impact, Notable
Escaping the Strange Loop (2020)
Core77 Design Awards, Strategy & Research, Notable
Escaping the Strange Loop (2020)
Prix Bloxhub, Honorary Mention
Grow Your Own Cloud (2019)
Core77 Awards, Runner Up
What the Block (2019)
Interaction Awards, Shortlist
Data Flowershop (2019)
Interaction Awards, Runner Up
What the Block (2018)
Interaction Awards, Shortlist
Doliio (2017)
Professional and Educational Background
Cyrus has a wealth of experience across entrepreneurial, corporate, and creative domains. As the founder of the award-winning organization Grow Your Own Cloud, he pioneered innovative approaches to data storage through DNA technology. He is the creator of the acclaimed educational game What The Block, which has introduced over a thousand participants across three continents to the workings of blockchain technology.
With a solid background in interaction and speculative design, Cyrus has collaborated with high-profile clients including IKEA, the United Nations, the European Union, Coinbase and World Expo 2020. His work not only bridges cutting-edge technology with design, but also delivers tangible, real-world impact. In the corporate world, he served as the Digital Innovation Lead at L’Oréal Global, integrating emerging technologies with strategic business objectives.
Beyond his work in design and corporate innovation, Cyrus has established himself as a strategist and futurist. He guides clients and organizations in navigating the evolving interface between technology and design, offering insights that blend creative vision with practical strategy. In his role as an educator, he leads workshops and teaches at renowned institutions such as MIT, Hyper Island, CIID, and the Design Academy Eindhoven, reflecting his commitment to nurturing the next generation of innovators. Moreover, his artistic practice has reached international audiences through curated exhibitions, while his presence as a keynote speaker continues to inspire and challenge conventional thinking about the future.
Cyrus holds a Bachelor’s degree in Economics from the University of Nottingham, a Master’s in Interaction Design from CIID, and he is currently a researcher at MIT Media Lab where he is also enrolled in a Master’s program.
Selected Clients and Employers
United Nations
World Expo 2020 Dubai
EU Horizon 2020
IKEA
L'Oreal
Tellart
L2 Labs
Channel 4
Initiatives Founded
Grow Your Own Cloud
(2017 - Ongoing)
What the Block
(2018 - Ongoing)
SIFT
(2017 - 2018)
Education
MA Interaction Design (2016)
Copenhagen Institute of Interaction Design
BA Hons Economics (2009)
University of Nottingham
Creative Work and Recognition
Cyrus’s creative work has been recognised on the international stage, with exhibitions at esteemed institutions such as Bozar (Brussels), the Telefonica Foundation (Madrid), ZKM (Karlsruhe), Ars Electronica, Dutch Design Week, and Bio26 – the 26th Biennial of Design in Ljubljana. His projects have also featured prominently at major events including SXSW, Viva Tech, WSJ Future Of, and WEF Davos.
His achievements have been honoured with a range of international awards, notably the 2022 Scientific Breakthrough of the Year for art and science from Falling Walls, along with accolades from the EU S+T+ARTS Prize, Interaction Awards, Core77, BloxHub, and the UN Summer of Solutions. Cyrus has further enriched his practice through residencies at programs like Ginkgo Bioworks Creative Residency, EU S+T+ARTS Repairing the Present, Tabakalera, ML4A, and Laboratory Residency.
Cyrus’s work has seen media attention on platforms such as Netflix, RTL, and France24, and has been featured in prominent publications including Vice/Motherboard, La Stampa, Der Spiegel, DAMN Magazine, Computable, L’ADN, and SoGood.
Selected Exhibitions
Urban Data Forest
ZKM (2022)
Data Garden
Telefonica Foundation (2022)
Interspecies Gossip
Copernicus Museum (2022)
Data Garden
Biennale Warsawa (2022)
Data Garden
Bozar, Brussels (2021)
Data Garden
Ars Electronica (2021)
Data Garden
Catch Helsingor & Roskilde Festival (2021)
Data Garden
SXSW (2021)
Bodies of Knowledge
Bio26, Ljubljana (2019)
#sad
Richmond Gallery, WA (2018)
Selected Teaching and Lectures
Ancient Future Technology - Lecture
MIT (2021, 2022)
How to Grow Almost Anything - Lecture
MIT (2022)
Regenerative Data Storage - Lecture
University of Chicago - 2021
Grow Your Own Cloud - Lecture
University of Calgary (2021, 2022)
The Future of Work - Course
Hyper Island (2022)
Exponential Technology - Course
Hyper Island (2021)
21st Century Clean 'Data Hygiene' - Course
MA Social Design, Design Academy Eindhoven (2020)
Designing with Blockchain - Course
CIID (2018, 2019, 2021)
Data Warming and the Cloud - Lecture
NYU ITP (2019)
What The Block - Course
CBS, DTU (2017 - 2020)
Designing with Biology - Lecture
Master's Co-Design
KADK (2017)
Contact me
If you would like to speak to me about creative collaborations, imaginative initiatives, workshop facilitation, or anything else, please contact me at:
For speaking engagements please contact Deborah Burns of Propela:
deborah@propela.co.uk
Social
You can find me @cyrusclarke
Twitter
Instagram
LinkedIn
and @cyrus
Farcaster
Selected Talks
Falling Walls (2022)
'Storing data in plants'
Brave New World (2022)
'Regenerative data'
Biennale Warsaw (2022)
'Grow Your Own DAO'
Maddy Keynote (2021)
'Can data be ecological?'
Maddy Keynote (2021)
'Grow Your Own Cloud'
World Economic Forum (2020)
'SDG Live'
COP 25 (2019)
'Grow Your Own Cloud'
The Conference (2019)
'Playing with Biology'
Design AM (2019)
'Radical Technologies'
IAM (2019)
'Grow Your Own Cloud'
Design Biennial Kochi (2018)
'The future of Indian Architecture' (panel)
Hello
Cyrus Clarke is a researcher, designer, and technologist working to reimagine the boundaries between technology, nature, and human connection. His work explores emerging technologies such as synthetic biology, machine learning, and biological computing, transforming digital data into poetic, tangible experiences that invite us to see technology as a medium for beauty and regeneration.
Drawing inspiration from speculative design to develop functional technology, his projects serve as prototypes for futures where technological advancements renew, restore and reconnect. As the founder of Grow Your Own Cloud, Cyrus demonstrated how DNA data storage could unlock a regenerative vision for data, extending the metaphor of a data cloud to a data forest.
His innovative work, featured by Netflix, Wired and exhibited internationally at venues such as SXSW, Ars Electronica, and Bozar Brussels, has earned him recognition including the Science Breakthrough of the Year award by Falling Walls in 2022. Now, as a researcher at MIT Media Lab, Cyrus is focused on bridging the gap between technology and nature, crafting a vision for the future of regenerative data.
Awards and Nominations
Cyrus is the recipient of many international awards including Scientific Breakthrough of the Year 2022 for Art and Science, EU Starts Prize 2021, Interaction Awards, Core77, BloxHub and the UN Summer of Solutions. He has also been awarded numerous residencies including Ginkgo Creative Residency, EU STARTS Repairing the Present, Tabakalera, ML4A, and Laboratory Residency.
Science Breakthrough of the Year, Falling Walls
Art & Science (2022)
EU Starts Prize, Honorary Mention
Data Garden (2021)
UN Summer of Solutions
Grow Your Own Cloud (2019)
EU Starts Prize, Nomination
Urban Data Forest (2023)
Dezeen Awards, Sustainable Design, Longlisted
Data Garden (2021)
Core77 Design Awards, Speculative Design Award, Runner Up
Escaping the Strange Loop (2020)
Core77 Design Awards, Design for Social Impact, Notable
Escaping the Strange Loop (2020)
Core77 Design Awards, Strategy & Research, Notable
Escaping the Strange Loop (2020)
Prix Bloxhub, Honorary Mention
Grow Your Own Cloud (2019)
Core77 Awards, Runner Up
What the Block (2019)
Interaction Awards, Shortlist
Data Flowershop (2019)
Interaction Awards, Runner Up
What the Block (2018)
Interaction Awards, Shortlist
Doliio (2017)
Professional and Educational Background
Cyrus has a wealth of experience across entrepreneurial, corporate, and creative domains. As the founder of the award-winning organization Grow Your Own Cloud, he pioneered innovative approaches to data storage through DNA technology. He is the creator of the acclaimed educational game What The Block, which has introduced over a thousand participants across three continents to the workings of blockchain technology.
With a solid background in interaction and speculative design, Cyrus has collaborated with high-profile clients including IKEA, the United Nations, the European Union, Coinbase and World Expo 2020. His work not only bridges cutting-edge technology with design, but also delivers tangible, real-world impact. In the corporate world, he served as the Digital Innovation Lead at L’Oréal Global, integrating emerging technologies with strategic business objectives.
Beyond his work in design and corporate innovation, Cyrus has established himself as a strategist and futurist. He guides clients and organizations in navigating the evolving interface between technology and design, offering insights that blend creative vision with practical strategy. Moreover, his artistic practice has reached international audiences through curated exhibitions, while his presence as a keynote speaker continues to inspire and challenge conventional thinking about the future.
Cyrus holds a Bachelor’s degree in Economics from the University of Nottingham, a Master’s in Interaction Design from CIID, and he is currently a researcher at MIT Media Lab where he is also enrolled in a Master’s program.
Employers and Clients
L'Oreal
United Nations
EU Horizon 2020
IKEA
World Expo 2020
Tellart
Channel 4
Initiatives Founded
Grow Your Own Cloud
(2017 - Ongoing)
What The Block
(2018 - 2023)
SIFT
(2017 - 2018)
Education
MA Media Arts and Science (2026)
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
MA Interaction Design (2016)
Copenhagen Institute of Interaction Design
BA Hons Economics (2009)
University of Nottingham
Creative Works
Cyrus' work has featured by Netflix and Wired, exhibited internationally at major institutes including Bozar, Brussels, and ZKM, Karlsruhe and featured at events such as SXSW.
Cyrus' creative work has been exhibited major art institutions including Bozar, Brussels, Telefonica Foundation, Madrid, ZKM, Karlsruhe, Tabakalera, San Sebastian, Ars Electronica, Dutch Design Week, and Bio26 - 26th Biennial of Design, Ljubljana. He has also shown work at events such as SXSW, Viva Tech, WSJ Future Of, and WEF Davos.
Cyrus has appeared on shows broadcast by Netflix, RTL and France24, and his work has been published in major publications such as Wired, Vice/Motherboard, La Stampa, Der Spiegel, DAMN Magazine, Computable, L'ADN, and SoGood.
Selected Exhibitions
Urban Data Forest
ZKM (2022)
Data Garden
Telefonica Foundation (2022)
Interspecies Gossip
Copernicus Museum (2022)
Clouds of Pollen
Tabakalera (2022)
Data Garden
Biennale Warsawa (2022)
Data Garden
Bozar, Brussels (2021)
Data Garden
Ars Electronica (2021)
Data Garden
Catch Helsingor & Roskilde Festival (2021)
Data Garden
SXSW (2021)
Bodies of Knowledge
Bio26, Ljubljana (2019)
#sad
Richmond Gallery, WA (2018)
Teaching and Workshops
In his role as an educator, he leads workshops and teaches at renowned institutions such as MIT, Hyper Island, CIID, and the Design Academy Eindhoven, reflecting his commitment to nurturing the next generation of innovators
Always keen to share knowledge, he leads dozens of courses and workshops each year around design futures and emerging technologies. Since 2018, through the What the Block game and workshop, he has introduced more than 1000 people to the principles of Blockchain technology.
Ancient Future Technology
MIT (2021, 2022)
How to Grow Almost Anything
MIT (2022)
Regenerative Data Storage
University of Chicago - 2021
Grow Your Own Cloud
University of Calgary (2021, 2022)
The Future of Work
Hyper Island (2022)
Exponential Technology
Hyper Island (2021)
21st Century Clean 'Data Hygiene'
MA Social Design, Design Academy Eindhoven (2020)
Designing with Blockchain
CIID (2018, 2019, 2021)
Data Warming and the Cloud
NYU ITP (2019)
Introduction to Blockchain
CBS, DTU (2017 - 2020)
Designing with Biology
Master's Co-Design
KADK (2017)
Talks
Cyrus enjoys sharing his reflections and is appreciated for his talks. He is a regular keynote and panel speaker.
For booking inquiries please reach out to Deborah Burns of Propela (deborah@propela.co.uk)
Selected Talks
GDI Institute (2023)
'Reimagining the Cloud'
Oredev (2023)
'Non-Fungible Plants'
Falling Walls (2022)
'Storing data in plants'
Brave New World (2022)
'Regenerative data'
Biennale Warsaw (2022)
'Grow Your Own DAO'
Maddy Keynote (2021)
'Can data be ecological?'
Ars Electronica (2021)
'Technology and life'
World Economic Forum (2020)
'SDG Live'
COP 25 (2019)
'Grow Your Own Cloud'
The Conference (2019)
'Playing with Biology'
Design AM (2019)
'Radical Technologies'
IAM (2019)
'Grow Your Own Cloud'
Biennial Kochi (2018)
'The future of Indian Architecture'
Contact me
If you would like to speak to me regarding curation, collaborations, consulting, workshop facilitation, or anything else, please contact me at:
© Cyrus Clarke 2025
© Cyrus Clarke 2025