Next Lab to Next Leaders: Student-led Innovation and Leadership

Next Lab demonstrates that a student-led, studio-based innovation ecosystem can function as a leadership laboratory, where agency and ethical judgment develop through paid, real-stakes design work with external partners in emerging technologies. Grounded in heutagogy and agentic leadership, Next Lab at Arizona State University engages students in interdisciplinary, socially impactful design challenges that integrate artificial intelligence (AI), spatial computing, and game technologies. This chapter examines the lab’s studio-based model through institutional context, collaborative case studies, and evidence from alumni outcomes. Drawing on both qualitative reflections and survey data, the chapter shows how real-world, paid design work cultivates adaptive leadership, technical fluency, and ethical foresight. Together, these findings position the Next Lab model as a transferable framework for preparing graduates to navigate complex technological and societal futures.