Ingo Maurer (1932–2019) was a German designer and entrepreneur, known for his innovative lighting designs. After studying graphic design in Munich and working as a typographer in Germany and Switzerland, he moved to the U.S. in the 1960s, freelancing for companies like Kaiser Aluminum and IBM. In 1966, he founded Design M in Munich, which became Ingo Maurer Lighting GmbH in 1977. The company, still active today, expanded in 2005 to a larger location, with the original headquarters serving as a gallery. Maurer’s work, often inspired by the lightbulb, and with its inventor, Thomas Edison, along with the influence of Pop Art, led to iconic designs like the Bulb lamp. His designs are featured in the Museum of Modern Art in New York, and in 2011, he received the Compasso d’Oro for his contributions to industrial design.