Jayson Margalus

Jayson Margalus is a video game and hardware designer. He is the President of Fourfold, a video game company that develops both original games and custom consoles, with titles available on platforms like Steam. He is also the Johnson Professor of Entrepreneurship and Leadership and Director of the Connolly Center for Entrepreneurship at Washington and Lee University, where he merges design, technology, and leadership to shape the next generation of innovators. His past work includes co-leading NASA grant–funded projects aimed at expanding maker technologies for space exploration and research.

Previously, Margalus served as the founding Faculty Director of Maker Innovation at DePaul University’s Idea Realization Lab(s) and was a Professional Lecturer Previously, Margalus served as the founding Faculty Director of Maker Innovation at DePaul University’s Idea Realization Lab(s) and was a Professional Lecturer of Industrial and Game Design in the Jarvis College of Computing and Digital Media. Under his leadership, DePaul was recognized by Newsweek and MAKE Magazine as one of the nation’s top “maker schools.” Alongside his academic roles, he has collaborated with oncologists at the University of Chicago to develop cost-effective medical devices and diagnostics—initiatives lauded for their potential impact on healthcare accessibility.

Margalus holds an MS with distinction in Human-Computer Interaction from DePaul University, a BS in Political Science from North Central College, and multiple design certifications from Cornell, MIT, Harvard, and Pratt.

Margalus’s work has been highlighted by major outlets including the Chicago Tribune and NPR, and he has delivered keynotes for organizations ranging from Chicago Public Schools’ Googlepalooza to the American Medical Association’s ChangeMedEd. In 2015, he was invited to the Obama White House in recognition of his pioneering efforts in establishing makerspaces.

An avid outdoorsman, Margalus is a seasoned backpacker and cyclist who regularly participates in long-distance rides like BRAG and RAGBRAI, with plans for a coast-to-coast tour in the near future. His adventures have taken him on multi-day treks through Chilean Patagonia, Isle Royale, the Rockies, and beyond.