Actuary, head of Marketing
Dr Luca Pontiggia is a physicist with a PhD in String Theory, currently the head of technical and AI communications at Discovery, and the co-founder and speaker of Universe on Stage. Yasheen Modi is an actuary, head of Marketing at Discovery, and the co-founder, self-taught composer and pianist of Universe on Stage.
Together, they bring over 20 years of corporate experience in translating complex technical ideas into stories that people can understand, enjoy and care about. As a duo of intellect and creativity, they founded Universe on Stage to share wonder and curiosity through live storytelling - combining science, music and visuals to bring the universe, space and big ideas to life.
Universe on Stage has a strong track record with more than sold out over 50 shows, filled 1000+ seat auditoriums, and performing to more than 30 000 people across multiple nights; having collaborated with the Joburg Ballet and the Johannesburg Philharmonic Orchestra - proving art and science belong together. Their work has helped create a new kind of live entertainment rooted in science communication and immersive experiences: one that that simultaneously educates, inspires, and entertains.
Luca and Yash believe the best stories are often the most complex ones - layered with meaning, mystery and ideas. The art is not to reduce that complexity, but to make it transparent enough for an audience to see it, feel it, and step inside.
How do you take something people assume is niche, difficult or “not for them” - and turn it into an experience they genuinely want to gather around? In this session, Dr Luca Pontiggia and composer Yasheen Modi, co-founders of Universe on Stage, unpack the creative anatomy of wonder: how scale, mystery, beauty, emotion, clarity and truth can transform complex ideas into shared cultural experiences. Drawing from their work turning black holes, quantum mechanics and cosmology into sold-out live shows, Luca and Yasheen explore how to create a story that makes difficult ideas feel human and emotionally alive. It is an exploration at how to make complexity inviting without being watered down - how audiences can be guided into unfamiliar worlds, made to feel intelligent rather than excluded, and brought to the edge of the unknown with curiosity instead of intimidation. At its heart, this talk reveals a deeper truth: Awe is the result when we not only see complexity but also feel it.
