 Martin LeBlanc is CXO at Freepik and founder of Iconfinder.

Martin is Chief Experience Officer at Freepik and founder of Iconfinder, a design and tech leader driving AI-powered creative tools. At Freepik, he shapes user experiences for millions, building on his work with Iconfinder, the top icon marketplace sold in 2022. Mixing design, AI, and product know-how, Martin focuses on practical, user-first solutions.

Program

Explore the full Forward Festival Berlin 2025 program: international speakers, creative talks, and cutting-edge insights from design, tech, and art. Plan your visit now!

Forward Festival Berlin 2025 – Full Program & Line-Up

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Get inspired by the work of AI artist Fan Shi! Gain insights and learn more about creating cutting edge AI art!

Fan Shi – AI artist at Forward Festival Berlin 2025!

FAN SHI

The Accidental Creative: How Fan Shi Became an AI Non-Artist.
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Fan Shi calls herself the “accidental artist” who stumbled upon her true calling trough a chance encounter with AI.
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From a young age, she was surrounded by artistic activities and always sought to express herself through audio and visual mediums. But it wasn&#8217;t until she discovered AI that her creativity truly took flight.
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With its help, she found a new way to express herself and create art that was beyond her wildest dreams. Sometimes, she is not sure if it’s her or the AI doing the creating, but either way, the results are nothing short of amazing.
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Her work work is a unique blend of her daily life experiences and the limitless possibilities of AI technology. With a keen eye for detail and a passion for experimentation, she creates worlds of tranquility, poetry, warmth, and emotional depth that captivate audiences around the world.
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Fan Shi WILL SPEAK AT THE FORWARD FESTIVAL Berlin in August. NEXT TO her, YOU WILL BE ABLE TO HEAR CREATIVES LIKE <a href="https://forward-festival.com/speaker/sarah-boris" target="_blank" rel="noopener">SARAH BORIS</a>, STUDIO HERRSTRÖM AND MANY MORE.

ARIEL LU (呂亭葳)

Ariel Lu: Texture Sovereign.
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Ariel Lu (呂亭葳) is a Berlin based Taiwanese artist and CG image maker who uses Houdini as her main tool.
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“I am interested in creating artworks that reflect the threads and pieces I&#8217;ve seen or experienced. I am drawn to express the strength and beauty of vulnerability and softness.”
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Hailing from Taipei her work, family and studies have brought her to Sweden, the UK and now in Berlin. Some of the brands she&#8217;s worked with including Apple, Google Deepmind, Hublot, Louis Vuitton and IKEA Space10.
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Ariel will speak at the Forward Festival Berlin in August. Next to her, you will be able to hear Creatives like <a href="https://forward-festival.com/speaker/kelly-anna" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Kelly Anna</a>, <a href="https://forward-festival.com/speaker/melanie-courtinat" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Mélanie Courtinat</a>, <a href="https://forward-festival.com/speaker/yukoshimizu" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Yuko Shimizu</a> and many more.

ARIEL LU

Catch him talk at Forward Festival Berlin 2025!

Graphic designer Marcus Rentsch speaks at Forward Festival Berlin 2025!

MARCUS RENTSCH

Join Emily Bisset as we take a look at how Adobe's cutting-edge tools such as After Effects and Substance 3D Painter can comer together to create 3D motion during her talk at Forward Festival Berlin 2025.

MARTIN LEBLANC

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