Yasmine Shaban portrait against a white background.

From college coursework to consumer strategy

Yasmine Shaban takes futures forecasting from the classroom to the boardroom

By Stephen Kenney Email Stephen

5 minute read July 1, 2025

Predicting the future is no easy feat – unless you’re University of Cincinnati graduate and NEXT Innovation Scholar Yasmine Shaban.

She’s doing precisely that in her role as a summer consumer insights strategist at Listen Ventures in Chicago, where she’s already making an impact.

Combining an unyielding work ethic and boundless curiosity with the rich opportunities she leveraged at UC, Shaban didn’t just discover a career; Shaban found her calling. And she couldn’t be more excited to join a summer program at Listen Ventures, a venture capital firm based in Illinois. “[Listen Ventures] has a role that brings together everything I love: design thinking, foresight and consumer listening to shape investment strategies,” Shaban says.

Finding her footing at UC

Shaban began her educational journey at the Lebanese American University in Beirut but transferred to the University of Cincinnati due to turbulence in Lebanon. She soon joined UC’s industrial and product design program and was introduced to the 1819 Innovation Hub while crafting class projects in the building’s makerspace.

Shaban working on an NIS project. Photo/Aaron Bradley

Not long after discovering the Ground Floor Makerspace’s offerings, Shaban got involved in innovation sprints hosted by 1819 partner companies. “Just like that, 1819 quickly became one of my favorite spaces on campus,” she says. “I loved how it welcomed big ideas, even when they were still messy or in progress.”

Innovation sprints were just the start of Shaban’s engagement with the 1819 Innovation Hub. Her attention soon turned to NEXT Innovation Scholars (NIS), a cohort-based, transdisciplinary educational program at 1819 centered on design thinking and future-focused innovation.

Shaban’s love for big, interconnected and complex ideas aligned perfectly within the mission and goals of the NIS program. “The kind of thinking I’d been searching for at UC – future-focused, interdisciplinary, creative – was actually already happening, right there in NIS,” Shaban says. “I applied immediately.”

Leading in what’s next

After being accepted into NIS, Shaban eagerly embraced her newfound responsibilities. From forecasting future societal trends to consulting with some of the world’s most prominent firms, she grew her talents and began to satisfy her boundless desire for knowledge.

NIS helped me lean into my curiosity rather than feel the need to justify it.

Yasmine Shaban NEXT Innovation Scholar, Class of 2025

“NIS helped me lean into my curiosity rather than feel the need to justify it,” Shaban says. “It made me realize that ambiguity isn’t something to avoid or be afraid of, but it’s where the most interesting ideas live. I started thinking more like a strategist and a systems thinker.”

Shaban gained more than just knowledge while in NIS – the program also unlocked prestigious co-ops and internships. She was soon accepted into a fellowship with Silicon Valley-based venture capital firm True Ventures, alongside students from prestigious universities like Stanford and Georgetown.

That fellowship program became foundational in shaping Shaban’s career trajectory. “It was that summer when I was finally able to connect the dots in my career,” she says. “I did not enjoy just making things; I enjoyed understanding what it took to make something come to life, whether it was about understanding the product, the market or the behavioral shifts shaping the future.”

Changing lives in Chicago

While her time as one of UC’s NEXT Innovation Scholars has come to an end, Shaban is excited to continue growing as a consumer insights strategist this summer at Listen Ventures. She largely credits NIS and the 1819 Innovation Hub for kick-starting her career and igniting the mindset that inspired it.

Shaban presenting at an innovation challenge. Photo/Gregory Glevicky

“NIS helped me get really comfortable sitting in the unknown,” Shaban says. “It taught me how to think across disciplines without losing depth and how to lead in ways that aren’t always loud but are deeply impactful.”

As with her initial journey to UC, Shaban’s fascination with and appreciation of 1819 arrived unexpectedly. She’s deeply grateful for her experiences in the building, where growing startups and corporate leaders connect with innovative Bearcats like herself.

“1819 helped me practice bringing my ideas to life instead of keeping them in my notebook,” Shaban says. “It gave me a place to test, ideate and explore without the pressure of having it all figured out. It’s where I started trusting myself as a thinker and builder.”

Featured image at top: Yasmine Shaban headshot. Photo/True Ventures

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