Our Team

Olaf Kuhlke

Olaf Kuhlke is Professor and Chair of Creative Entrepreneurship at the Minneapolis College of Art and Design, where he leads curriculum, partnerships, and applied innovation initiatives at the intersection of creative industries, entrepreneurship, technology, and community impact.

He brings deep experience in program development, strategic planning, grant-funded research, and cross-sector collaboration with universities, nonprofits, Indigenous communities, and creative enterprises. Olaf has worked with the Enterprise Development Group on AI-enabled strategy and learning tools for EcoActUs, helping translate climate action, entrepreneurship, and systems thinking into accessible frameworks for education, engagement, and implementation.

His broader professional work spans creative economy development, climate entrepreneurship, human-centered design, digital storytelling, remote sensing and digital twin applications, and entrepreneurship education for artists and designers. He is especially interested in helping organizations turn complex ideas into actionable models, build resilient learning systems, and create ventures that are economically viable, socially grounded, and future-facing. Olaf’s work is guided by a commitment to creativity as a force for enterprise, community transformation, and planetary responsibility.