Startup Innovations in Sustainability
Moderator: Thom Ruhe
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CEO & President, NC IDEA
President and CEO of NC IDEA, a private foundation dedicated to helping the diverse population of North Carolina realize their full entrepreneurial potential. Capitalizing on the many entrepreneurial and programmatic accomplishments of his career, Thom has worked with communities worldwide to reap the benefits of rethinking equitable economic development practices by focusing on empowering people through entrepreneurship.
Panelists
Doug Grant
CEO, Atlantic Fish Co
Doug Grant, MBA, MS, is the co-founder and CEO of Atlantic Fish Co., which aims to create the world's most sustainable and ethical seafood. Prior to AFC, he co-founded Hemeos, a bone marrow donor registry. He also served for ten years as a helicopter pilot in the Navy before entering the private sector. He lives in Washington, DC, with his wife and son.
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Holden Bierman
CEO, Coastal Cool
Holden Bierman is a student at Fuquay-Varina High School, a rising junior. He is a teen entrepreneur, and is the Founder and CEO of Coastal Cool, a North Carolina favorite beach and swimwear company. Coastal Cool's products are designed from recycled plastic bottles, featuring breezy, lightweight fabrics that are fast-drying, breathable, and stretchy. Committed to sustainability, each purchase helps remove a pound of ocean plastic from the environment. Making waves, one pound at a time. You can find us, at www.coastalcool.co and learn more about what we offer.
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Ivan Francis
CEO, Argoneta
Ivan Francis is the CEO & Co-founder of ARGONETA. Mr. Francis has over 20 years of scuba diving experience and holds AQUANAUT, underwater habitat maintenance, and mine diver certifications, in addition to his PADI Advanced Open Water rating. Ivan is a former consultant with Kearney and Deloitte who has held Strategy, Transformation, M&A and Engineering roles with several global organizations including IMAX, General Motors, Ford and Xerox. He has an undergraduate degree in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Toronto, a Bachelor of Marketing degree from the University of Windsor and a MBA from Michigan State. He is a Six Sigma Black Belt and a certified Design Thinking practitioner, and is a member of the SeaAhead bluetech startup platform and the Marine Technology Society.
Landon Hill
CEO, Local Catch
As CEO of Local Catch, Landon leads a pioneering service in the heart of the commercial fishing sector. With cutting-edge technology, Local Catch bridges the gap between people and businesses in this community, simplifying the process of trading in fresh, local seafood like never before.
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