Bridging the Physical and Digital with Alex Valdivia

In this week’s episode, I had the pleasure of sitting down with Alex Valdivia, tech visionary, designer, and co-founder of Alice Wonders. Alex has spent over two decades pushing boundaries at the intersection of technology, art, and retail. From hacking espresso machines to designing immersive brand experiences for Nestlé, Samsung, and Dior, Alex’s journey is anything but conventional. He’s also the Experience Director at the Retail Design Institute, and his groundbreaking work on the world’s most digital Kit Kat store even landed him in the book Digital Transformation. Alex’s story is what happens when curiosity meets relentless innovation.

 

What You'll Learn:

• How Alex transitioned from web design to immersive physical-digital brand activations.
• The inspiration behind Alice Wonders and why 2007’s Arduino boom sparked a lifelong mission.
• Why playfulness and side projects (like hacking a coffee machine) can lead to serious business opportunities.
• How Alex is leveraging AI for storytelling, immersive retail, and visual design.
• Real talk on creative leadership, scaling businesses without losing the artistic soul, and navigating team dynamics.
• Why staying true to your artistic instincts - even when tech disrupts the game, is more vital than ever.

 

"Everything is an experiment, and you're learning something."
- Alex Valdivia

 

Alex reminded me that creativity thrives where there’s room to tinker. Whether it’s turning a broken espresso machine into a globally-accessible IoT marvel or experimenting with AI to tell stories of immigrant heritage, Ale exemplifies the power of playing with purpose. Innovation doesn’t come from having all the answers - it comes from asking questions and being bold enough to see what happens next.

 

Overview:

This episode was an absolute blast - Alex brought that rare combo of tech geekery and artistic spirit that speaks to the heart of this podcast. We dug into how he turned curiosity into a full-blown creative enterprise with Alice Wonders, working with global brands while still geeking out over smart appliances and anime-laced VR spaces. What I loved most was how Alex embodies the idea that creativity and technology don’t have to be at odds - they can (and should) dance. Whether you're a designer, developer, or just someone trying to figure out how to turn your passions into a business, there’s gold in this conversation.