Manon Dave

Biography

Manon Dave is a technologist, music producer and songwriter whose works at the intersection of creativity, technology and social impact. Principal Lead AI Engineer for will.i.am and Idris Elba, and Chief Innovation and Creative Officer at Mindvalley, he has founded multiple ventures dedicated to making artificial intelligence more equitable and inclusive. He believes AI can help build a fairer, creative, more connected global economy, but only if access and inclusion are built in from the start.

With a career spanning music, technology and entrepreneurship, Manon has a track record of pioneering projects that merge cutting-edge innovation with cultural relevance. His creation Sound Drive, co-developed with will.i.am and Mercedes-AMG, turns driving into an AI-powered real-time musical performance, showcasing developments in adaptive experiences that evolve with feedback. He produced original music with Framestore and Che Lingo for the Refugee Olympic Team, combining live footage and generative AI to create a graphic novel-style showcase of the athletes that was shown at the opening ceremony of the Paris Olympics.

Manon is also helping to revolutionise the digital economy. In partnership with Idris Elba, founder of The Akuna Group, and The Stellar Development Foundation, he created Akuna Wallet, a blockchain-powered digital wallet designed to break down payment barriers and enable secure, fast and accessible transactions for creators worldwide. His commitment to accessibility has also inspired Talking Scripts, an app developed with Idris Elba and Stefan Schwartz to help actors, directors and creatives engage with scripts, with a particular focus on empowering creators with dyslexia.

A multi-award-winning creative, Manon has been recognised with the CES Best of Innovation Award, the prestigious iF Design Award, and five mentions on TIME Magazine’s Best Inventions list. He has been responsible for developing tech products in collaboration with Apple, Google and Disney, and has advised leading artists including will.i.am and Oscar-winning composer A.R. Rahman. His music production credits include co-writes with members of Maroon 5 and tracks for Che Lingo, as well as compositions for brands like Spotify and Lexus, as well as for TV, film and video games.

Across his work, Manon demonstrates the potential of AI as a force for creativity and social good. He develops tools that are powerful, intuitive and inclusive, transforming complex challenges into opportunities and paving the way for smarter, more connected communities.