Val Vacante

Austin, United States

Val Vacante is an award-winning creative catalyst and global innovator recognized for shaping next-generation products and breakthrough experiences across AI, emerging technology, retail, gaming, and play. As SVP of Solutions Innovation at Dentsu, she uncovers cultural trends, commerce dynamics, and emerging technologies to redefine how people connect in physical and digital worlds.

She has partnered with leading global brands to uncover whitespace, accelerate innovation, and deliver transformative solutions. With Differin, Val reimagined acne-care education for gamers, launching the first acne-care brand on Roblox, debuting market-first shoppable Twitch streams with Fortnite Icons, and creating in-person activations that built confidence and community.

Val is the visionary behind Intelligent Messaging, a suite of AI-powered, multimodal messaging innovations showcased at CES, SXSW and Cannes Lions, with collaborations spanning IKEA, PepsiCo, Glenfiddich, Differin, JCPenney, and additional Fortune 500 brands, featured in Digiday, MediaPost, and Retail Brew. In collaboration with Meta, she formed the Global Meta Messaging Alliance, giving joint clients access to alpha and beta products across Meta Business Messaging platforms.

She co-created Dentsu NXT Space with Microsoft, LinkedIn, and HeadOffice.Space, exploring AI, XR, and spatial technologies, recognized as “Best of CES” by PSFK and covered by Forbes, Fast Company, and Digiday. Val also led ShopNXT™, Dentsu’s retail innovation suite with patented technology, enhancing personalization, loyalty, and customer joy, named a “Top Product Pick at CES” by PCR Magazine.

She architected NXT Intelligence™, an innovation platform with 12 productized sprints leveraged by Fortune 500 brands across entertainment, gaming, anime, retail, and emerging tech. In collaboration with Dentsu Japan, she drove record performance for the Dentsu Innovation Initiative U.S., growing startup partnerships by 55%, exceeding KPIs by 166%, and engaging with more than 30 brands.

Beyond Dentsu, Val is the Founder of Collabsco, a strategy and innovation firm pioneering award-winning digital products across IoT, AR, VR, voice, robotics, and connected play landscape, featured in VentureBeat.
Her portfolio spans more than 50 global brands including Microsoft, Meta, Hasbro, Mattel, Disney, Bandai Namco, PepsiCo, P&G, Nestlé, Mercedes-Benz, MINI, AT&T, Honeywell, Sleep Number, LinkedIn, Dell, and others.

Her work has been spotlighted in Fast Company, Fortune, Forbes, CNET, Adweek, The Drum, Digiday, VentureBeat, GamesBeat, and Trend Hunter, and presented at CES, SXSW, Cannes Lions, AWE, Comic-Con, Games for Change, NY Toy Fair, and Cosmoprof.

Recognized among the Top 25 Women in Tech, VentureBeat Women in AI, Product Management Leader of the Year, and Most Powerful Women in Technology, Val serves on the Fast Company Executive Board, the SXSW Advisory Board, and mentors future leaders at SCAD (Savannah College of Art and Design).

Available For: Advising, Authoring, Consulting, Influencing, Speaking
Travels From: Austin
Speaking Topics: Innovation, Product Strategy, Emerging Technologies, Culture, Design, Experience Strategy