Part of Nicolas Nova activities involved teaching and mentoring in different contexts (design school, engineering schools, universities, private institutions). He was a Professor at HEAD–Genève (Geneva University of Arts and Design) and he also taught as a visiting professor in: ENSCI–Les Ateliers (Paris) , ENSAD (Paris), Art Center College of Design (Pasadena), die Angewandte (Wien), and Ecole Gobelins (Annecy).

He also curated exhibits such as Culture interface at La Cité du Design in Saint Etienne, France and Sens-Fiction as part of Lille World Design Capitale.

His topics included: sociology and anthropology of digital practices/technology, ethnography, design/ethnography, futures research and foresight, design fiction, sociology of innovation.