‘Cognitive diversity isn’t a nice to have, it is a business imperative, it is future proofing your business. The right to work is a human right. Businesses and economies who realise this now will mitigate a significant amount of risk over the next three decades.’
Max Simpson
CEO and Co-Founder
Steps
Davos Neurodiversity Summit 2026
Intergenerational Dialogues From Awareness to Action
At the Davos Neurodiversity Summit 2026, global leaders, researchers, and youth advocates came together for a powerful intergenerational dialogue on how neurodiversity advocacy must move beyond awareness and into sustained, structural action.
Steps’ CEO and Co-Founder, Max Simpson, joined a distinguished panel alongside Professor Lawrence Fung of the Stanford Neurodiversity Project, Ava Chan of Neurodiversity HK, and Dayana Zhumabayeva of Hi, ADHD. Non-profit Initiative. Moderated by Jonathan Mok, the session explored how neurodivergent young adults can and must be recognised as co-designers and changemakers, rather than passive beneficiaries of inclusion initiatives.
Drawing on over a decade of building inclusive social businesses in Southeast Asia, Max highlighted the persistent gap between education and employment for neurodivergent people. He shared how Steps addresses this gap through work readiness programmes embedded within real social enterprises, enabling participants to build transferable skills, confidence, and a clear understanding of their strengths in the workplace. Central to his contribution was the importance of genuine co-design, including accessible communication methods, clear feedback loops, and valuing lived experience as expertise.
Across environments as diverse as Hong Kong, Central Asia, Thailand, and the United States, panellists emphasised common non-negotiables for meaningful neurodiversity work. These included long-term commitments beyond quotas or pilot programmes, culturally grounded approaches, and shared power between institutions and neurodivergent communities. The discussion reinforced that sustainable impact depends on trust, flexibility, and the willingness of organisations to rethink traditional models of leadership and participation.
The session concluded with clear calls to action, urging businesses, educators, and policymakers to recognise neuroinclusion as both a human rights issue and a strategic necessity. By investing in neurodivergent youth today, institutions can build more resilient, innovative, and equitable systems for the future.
Read more Reflections and highlights from the the Davos Neurodiversity Summit session facilitator’s post on LinkedIn
https://www.linkedin.com/posts/jonathankhmok9999_davosneurodiversitysummit-dns2026-neurodiversity-activity-7420387028879568896-offg