About Kayo MIKI:
Transforming Limitation into Innovation
At 27, when I finally saw the world in full clarity for the first time, I realized I had been collecting a different kind of vision all along—one that would transform how I understand human perception, cultural connection, and the art of creating meaning from limitation.
For nearly three decades, my relationship with sight was one of gradual revelation rather than sudden illumination. What others might frame as a medical journey, I experienced as an extended apprenticeship in multi-sensory intelligence—learning to navigate the world through sound, texture, emotional resonance, and the subtle energies that most never notice.
Grounded in a dual academic foundation in design thinking and political science, I draw on strategic theories of power, governance, and public policy to craft experiences that align brand narratives with societal dynamics. This integrated lens—from policy analysis to sensory mapping—enables me to engineer immersive brand-culture ecosystems that drive both revenue growth and meaningful social impact.
The Call to Adventure
This unique sensory foundation became my competitive advantage in the intersections between business, performing arts, and cultural fields. While others relied primarily on visual assessment, I developed what I now call “cross-sensory curation”—the ability to identify authentic artistic expression and cultural resonance through multiple perceptual channels simultaneously.
Over 16 years, this approach enabled me to successfully introduce Grammy Award winners like Herbie Hancock and Bobby McFerrin, along with the Berliner Philharmoniker, into the Chinese market. Each project required not just cultural translation, but sensory translation—understanding how different audiences receive and process artistic experiences.
The Transformative Journey
My 3,000-kilometer trek across Europe in 2016 became both literal and metaphorical journey—exploring how European women create identity and cultural revolution around the dining table. This research, which became my award-winning book “Women and The Table They Set,” demonstrated my methodology: using sensory observation to uncover hidden cultural patterns.
The London Photography Awards recognition for work created through my unique visual perspective proved that perceived limitations often become sources of unprecedented innovation. In 2022, my human rights advocacy through “True Colors of Yosifu” earned Taiwan’s National Golden Tripod Award, showing how cross-sensory storytelling can drive social change.
The Return with Wisdom
In 2021, I co-founded MÖTHEA (Mobility + Theatre), specializing in creating experiences that showcase artistic diversity across both digital and physical spaces. This venture represents the culmination of my journey: transforming personal adaptation strategies into scalable design thinking methodologies.
My selection as one of Tatler’s “Top Pioneering Female Entrepreneurs” in 2023 recognized not just business success, but a new approach to resource-constrained innovation—creating extraordinary outcomes through alternative perception channels.
The New Frontier
Now, relocating to the United States in 2025, I bring this cross-sensory design thinking methodology to address contemporary challenges in cultural inclusion, brand experience, and human-centered innovation. My approach demonstrates that what society often views as limitations can become the foundation for breakthrough solutions that benefit everyone.
The Mission Continues
Through guest lectures at National Taiwan University’s Master’s Program in Economics and speaking engagements with organizations like American Club Taipei on UN SDGs, I share this transformational framework: how individuals with resource constraints can create disproportionate value through alternative approaches to problem-solving.
This is not a story about overcoming disability—it’s about discovering ability others overlook, and using that discovery to create new possibilities for human connection and cultural understanding.