Sustainability
This one-day event will bring together industry leaders, thought leaders, innovators and disruptors around the topic of Sustainability. We will explore sustainability and its business implications across industries from the perspective of senior corporate leaders, startup founders, investors and world class MIT faculty via keynotes, panel discussion, lightning talks and startup exhibits. Topic should appeal to a broad cross section of senior executives regardless of industry.
How should corporates set and reach their sustainability goals? What work are industry leaders doing today to decarbonize their operations, and what themes are emerging? How should we think about sustainability partnerships with competitors, government, investors and startups? Where are investors putting their capital? What problems can startups solve for corporates, and what do effective startup-corporate partnerships look like? These are just some of the questions we will address.
Join us to be part of the conversation, and to be part of the solution.
The event is jointly organized by the MIT Startup Exchange and the Industrial Liaison Program (ILP). MIT Startup Exchange actively promotes collaboration and partnerships between MIT-connected startups and industry, exclusively members of MIT's Industrial Liaison Program. “MIT-connected” startups are based on licensed MIT technology, or are founded by MIT faculty, staff, or alumni. Currently, over 1,000 startups are registered with MIT Startup Exchange.
REGISTRATION
Registration is closed. Walk-in registration will be available at the venue.
Mr. Glickman joined the Industrial Liaison Program in January 2000, serving as the MIT liaison for companies worldwide, and joined the senior management of the office in 2005.
Prior to joining ILP, Todd was Assistant Executive Director of the American Meteorological Society (AMS), the professional society for meteorologists, which is based in Boston. At AMS, Todd's responsibilities included strategic planning for conferences, headquarters' liaison with AMS member boards and committees, support to the AMS Council, and public relations. In addition, Todd was Managing Editor for the AMS Glossary of Meteorology (2nd edition).
From 1979 to 1994, Todd held a variety of positions with WSI Corporation of Billerica, MA, including Manager, New Product Development, Media Marketing Manager, and Manager of the Government Program Office. WSI was a pioneer in the development of real-time weather information, providing value-added information and workstations for clients in media, aviation, industry, academia, and government. Some of Todd's projects included development of the weather data/information infrastructure for The Weather Channel; the introduction of digital satellite and radar imagery for television; planning and implementation of a network of weather briefing systems for the Federal Aviation Administration; and serving as liaison with the National Weather Service and professional organizations. In addition, Todd was instrumental in helping to develop the public-private partnership between the weather information industry and the Federal government.
Concurrently, Todd has a more than 30-year career as a radio meteorologist, and has been heard on dozens of stations nationwide. Today, he can be heard occasionally on all-news WCBS Newsradio-88 in New York City. He has chaired numerous meteorological conferences and symposia, and served on a number of boards and committees for the American Meteorological Society (AMS). He was awarded the AMS Seal of Approval for Radio Weathercasting in 1979, and was elected a Fellow of the AMS in 1997.
Todd's interests include transportation systems of all types, and he is an officer and past-trustee of the Seashore Trolley Museum of Kennebunkport, Maine. At MIT, Todd an officer and trustee of the Technology Broadcasting Corporation, which oversees the campus radio station WMBR-FM. He also volunteers as the academic advisor to a group of MIT freshman.
Marcus Dahllöf leads MIT Startup Exchange, which facilitates connections between MIT-connected startups and corporate members of the MIT Industrial Liaison Program (ILP). Dahllöf manages networking events, workshops, the STEX25 accelerator, opportunity postings, and helps define the strategic direction of MIT Startup Exchange. He is a two-time tech entrepreneur (one exit in cybersecurity), and has previously held roles in finance, software engineering, corporate strategy, and business development at emerging tech companies and Fortune 100 corporations in the U.S., Latin America, and Europe. Marcus was a member of the Swedish national rowing team and he is a mentor at the MIT Venture Mentoring Service.
・ Lead the long-histrical R&D Lab in Palo Alto (RAN/AI/DataAnalysis/Cloud/Open Innovaiton). ・ Develop collaboration businesses between startups in Sillicon Valley & enterprizes in Japan. - Invest capital into cutting-edge startups as head of NTT Docomo Ventures Inc. Sillicon Volley branch.
In 2000, after graduating from Chiba University graduate school (Department of Intelligent Information Engineering and Science), Takashi joined NTT DOCOMO Co., Ltd. and developed Worldfs first 3G (W-CDMA) radio base stations in commercial and contributed in ensuring radio interoperability for international roaming with overseas carriers. Since 2005, he moved to Docomo Open Innovation management team, investing and leading the collaboration with cutting-edge ventures and partner companies of other industries.
In 2011, Sponsored by Docomo, Takashi obtained a MBA from the University of Southern California (USC) and he came back and took charge of the formulation of the mid-term vision and plan in the Corporate Strategy Department, including the design of USD 45 billion sales & USD 35 billion budget. In 2017, Takashi was the Senior Manager creating innovative business models with new technologies, such as machine learning, telemedicine, xR, drone etc. Especially he succeeded to initiate and expand Docomo’s drone business “Docomo Sky” in Japan & South-East Asia.
The NTT Group alone uses 1% of Japan's electricity and approximately 1/4 of Tokyo's electricity in its own operations. In September 2021, its commitment to reduce the greenhouse gas emissions arising from its business activities effectively to zero by 2030. In order to help society as a whole achieve carbon neutrality, DOCOMO will roll out a new ecosystem called "Caboneu (TM)" in conjunction with its partners and customers, under the slogan "Saving Our Planet With You."
Professor Olivetti received a BS in engineering science from the University of Virginia in 2000, and a PhD in materials science and engineering from MIT in 2007. She spent her PhD program studying the electrochemistry of polymer and inorganic materials for electrodes in lithium-ion batteries. In 2014, she joined DMSE as an assistant professor. As an educator, Olivetti overhauled DMSE’s undergraduate curriculum and developed new courses, including one for the MIT Climate and Sustainability Consortium Climate Scholars. She’s a member of the MIT Climate Nucleus and co-director of the MIT Climate & Sustainability Consortium.
Professor Elsa Olivetti’s research focuses on improving the environmental and economic sustainability of materials. Specifically, she develops analytical and computational models to provide early-stage information on the cost and environmental impact of materials. Professor Olivetti and her research-group colleagues work toward improving sustainability through increased use of recycled and renewable materials, recycling-friendly material design, and intelligent waste disposition. The Olivetti Group also focuses on understanding the implications of substitution, dematerialization, and waste mining on materials markets.
Ariadna Rodenstein is a Program Manager at MIT Startup Exchange. She joined MIT Corporate Relations as an Events Leader in September 2019 and is responsible for designing and executing startup events, including content development, coaching and hosting, and logistics. Ms. Rodenstein works closely with the Industrial Liaison Program (ILP) in promoting collaboration and partnerships between MIT-connected startups and industry, as well as with other areas around the MIT innovation ecosystem and beyond.
Prior to working for MIT Corporate Relations, she worked for over a decade at Credit Suisse Group in New York and London, in a few different roles in event management and as Director of Client Strategy. Ms. Rodenstein has combined her experience in the private sector with work at non-profits as a Consultant and Development Director at New York Immigration Coalition, Immigrant Defense Project, and Americas Society/Council of the Americas. She also served as an Officer on the Board of Directors of the Riverside Clay Tennis Association in New York for several years. Additionally, she earned her B.A. in Political Science and Communications from New York University, with coursework at the Instituto Tecnológico y de Estudios Superiores de Monterrey in Mexico City, and her M.A. in Sociology from the City University of New York.
Aaron Baskerville-Bridges is Co-Founder & VP of Operations at AeroShield Materials, a seed-stage MIT spinout making super-insulating transparent inserts for energy-efficient windows and glass. He currently leads AeroShield’s biz ops, business development, and funding roadmap. Aaron is an LGO ’20 from the Chemical Engineering department. Prior to MIT, Aaron spent three years with the BCG as a management consultant supporting operational improvement projects in the energy sector, supply chain optimization, and private equity due diligence.
Jack Baron has more than 25 years' experience in executive, sales, marketing, and operations management. He co-founded PAETEC where he served as Chief Marketing and Training Officer and Executive Vice President of Business Development. Prior to joining PAETEC, he served as National Vice President of Sales, Marketing and Customer Service for
ACC TeleCom's U.S. operations. Mr. Baron also served as President of ETI Technical College, a 4-year engineering college in Cleveland.
Mr. Baron also chaired the Rochester Angel Network, an investment organization focused on early-stage technology and energy companies in New York State. He belongs to the board of directors for Affle Mobile Media, which is owned primarily by Microsoft and based in Singapore.
Mr. Baron has an M.B.A. from Syracuse University with a concentration in marketing, graduating summa cum laude. He has a Bachelor of Science degree in Neuroscience from the University of Rochester, where he graduated with high honors.
Megan O’Connor is co-founder and CEO of Nth Cycle, a metal processing company that has developed technology to enable a clean, domestic, and streamlined supply of critical minerals for the clean energy transition. Dr. O’Connor leverages years of experience working on sustainable technology in many of America’s top research labs, where she helped develop the electro-extraction processes she and her team are commercializing at Nth Cycle. Prior to founding Nth Cycle, Dr. O’Connor was an Entrepreneurial Fellow in the Innovation Crossroads program at Oak Ridge National Laboratory and was a visiting researcher at Yale University’s Center for Green Chemistry & Green Engineering. Dr. O’Connor received her PhD in environmental engineering from Duke University and was recognized by Forbes on its “30 under 30” energy list in 2019.
Nth Cycle is based in Boston, Massachusetts, and is supported by a world-class team of investors including Clean Energy Ventures, VoLo Earth Venture Fund, the Department of Energy, and Elemental Excelerator.
Nick Mannarino received a Bachelors in Chemical Engineering from Cooper Union and a Masters in Chemical Engineering Practice from MIT. During Nick’s time at MIT he worked on the regenerative properties of carbon capture materials at the University of Pisa in Italy, a lifecycle assessment of biomass as a carbon source for pig iron production at Tecnored (a division of Vale) in Brazil, and process modeling for the manufacturing of aluminum at Emirates Global Aluminium in the UAE. Upon graduating from MIT, Nick spent 5 years in R&D on the Beverage Process Engineering team at PepsiCo. On this team, Nick developed new beverage processing technologies (e.g. product batching, carbonation, beverage filling) to enable innovation, productivity, sustainability, and brand stewardship within the PepsiCo portfolio. He was a main point of contact for all major and minor equipment suppliers and led technical vetting discussions for new technology that could potentially come to PepsiCo. He managed all key learnings in a globally accessible database and routinely gave trainings on filling and processing technologies for new engineers. Nick was heavily involved in upgrading PepsiCo’s on-site pilot plant and managed the installation and commissioning of several pilot scale processes/production lines. He was also on the main engineering team for the development and launch of the new product and beverage platform Pepsi Nitro.
Nick joined Amogy in May 2022 as its Business Development Engineer where his role is to establish, develop, and maintain connections with industry partners as well as to develop strategy and lead some of the upcoming engineering projects.
Adam Langton is the Energy Services Manager for BMW of North America, LLC. In this role, Adam develops digital energy products for BMW electric vehicles, including smart charging, vehicle-to-grid functionality, data tools, and fleet management services. Adam leads a BMW team developing and implementing the BMW ChargeForward smart charging program and leads BMW’s efforts to establish sustainable energy partnerships for BMW electric vehicle drivers in the US.
Prior to joining BMW, Adam worked at the California Public Utilities Commission, supporting California’s electric vehicle programs and developing the California carbon cap-and-trade program. Adam is based at BMW’s Mountain View Tech Office in Silicon Valley.
Professor John E. Fernández is a professor in the Department of Architecture at MIT, affiliated with the Department of Urban Studies and Planning, and a practicing architect. Fernández is also Director of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology Environmental Solutions Initiative, enlisting the capacity of the MIT community in the transition to a net zero carbon, biodiverse and equitable future.
Fernández founded and currently directs the MIT Urban Metabolism Group and is a member of the World Economic Forum Global Commission on BiodiverCities by 2030, the Urban Climate Change Research Network, and the Leadership Team of Oceanvisions. He has published on a wide range of subjects, from sustainable cities, urban biodiversity, design, and more, and is the author of two books and numerous articles in scientific and design journals, including Science, the Journal of Industrial Ecology, Building and Environment, Energy Policy and others, and author of nine book chapters. He is formerly Chair of Sustainable Urban Systems for the International Society of Industrial Ecology and Director of the MIT Building Technology Program from 2010 to 2015.
Accelerating consequences of climate change are occurring during what some consider to be a new age of imagination – partly characterized by the advent of the fourth industrial revolution. Evidence of this convergence can be found in the multiple incubators and accelerators with a growing portfolio of climate startups. Coupled to the fact that our world’s environmental challenges require the capacity and resources of industry, we are starting to see the emergence of an era of climate machines. Conceived of by a new generation of paradigm-shifting inventors and engineers and enabled by AI, advances in the life sciences and new materials, climate machines are emerging as the answer to the question of how to make a better world. Fernandez will describe the work of the MIT Environmental Solutions Initiative and offer several examples of climate machines and the startups that are driving their emergence.
Dr. Bernie Malouin is the founder and CEO of JETCOOL Technologies. Previously, Dr. Malouin spent 8 years at MIT Lincoln Laboratory, where he served as Chief Engineer on a $100M airborne hardware program. He was also the Principal Investigator on a $1.2M research and development project on cooling high power electronics, and has 13 years of experience in liquid cooling of electronics. Dr. Malouin holds a PhD in mechanical engineering and a BS in aeronautical engineering, both from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. You may also find him fixing a tractor, flying an airplane, or bicycling a rail trail.
Patrick Teyssonneyre is an entrepreneur, angel investor and accomplished senior executive with over 20 years of global experience in Deep Tech Ventures, Climate Tech and General Management of Innovation and Technology, having led the development of numerous Technologies, Products and Applications into successful commercialization in the Chemical and Materials Industries. Teyssonneyre has a B.S. in Materials Engineering, earned an M.B.A. from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).
Dr. Francesco M Benedetti is a Co-Founder and serves as Chief Executive Officer and Board Member at Osmoses, Inc. He earned his Ph.D. in chemical engineering from the University of Bologna, Italy, and worked as a Postdoctoral Associate at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Benedetti received a 2019/2020 MIT Energy Fellowship, a 2021 Activate Fellowship, and was an NSF I-Corps Entrepreneurial Lead in 2021. Under his leadership, Osmoses won the MIT $100k Entrepreneurship Competition in 2021, the 2021 Cleantech Open Northeast Accelerator, the Carbon Sequestration Prize, and in November 2021 closed a $3 million Pre-Seed round of financing led by The Engine and joined by other top national venture capital firms.
Originally from the Dominican Republic, Andres is a ClimateTech entrepreneur working at the intersection of social impact and Climate Action. Andres holds a dual-major in Mechanical Engineering and Finance from Drexel University. Social and environmental impact has always been part of Andres' life endeavors. While in Philadelphia, he supported the community and empowered students and professionals by being part of LeBow BRIDGE Advisory Board and Prospanica Philadelphia Board. He worked at New Hudson Facades, a Related Companies subsidiary, in the development of three skyscrapers with a projects scope worth over USD$170 M at the iconic Hudson Yards in NYC. Since 2018, Andres has been leading SOS Carbon Inc. Sargassum Ocean Sequestration of Carbon (SOS Carbon) is a spinoff company from the Mechanical Engineering department at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). SOS Carbon is focused on scaling its unique patented technologies to turn sargassum seaweed invasions problem into an economical natural Ocean carbon sequestering opportunity. As a member of MIT Sloan School of Management, Andres’ motivation is his capacity to transform society and the environment for a better tomorrow. SOS Carbon in committed to solving one of the Caribbean's most threatening problem, generate employment and value chains to the region, and fight climate change for a global impact.
Experienced Engineering Manager and Sustainability Professional with a demonstrated history of working in the semiconductors industry. Skilled in Sustainability, Conflict Minerals, Human Rights and Forced and Bonded Labor, Chemical Regulatory Issues, Photolithography, Metrology, Defect Inspection, Process Control, Research and Development (R&D), Integrated Circuits (IC), CMOS, and Semiconductor Industry. Strong engineering professional with a Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) focused in Physical Chemistry from University of Washington.
Dominic leads global strategy and innovation for Schneider Electric’s Sustainability Business where he is responsible for evolving the vision of the organization through long-term strategic planning, acquisition and partnership pursuits, innovation advancement, offer expansion, and relationship development. A Schneider “boomerang”, Dominic has held a variety of operations and leadership roles over his 15+ years with the company.
Previously, Dominic was a part of Deloitte’s energy and resources practice, as well as a founding member of a startup focused on energy-as-a-service. He is passionate about the energy and sustainability industry, innovation, and delivering value to clients. Dominic holds an M.B.A. from Indiana University’s Kelley School of Business and a Bachelor of Science in economics from Centre College.
The topic of sustainability has gained mainstream attention with billions of dollars globally being committed to decarbonization as well as other social and governance matters. As one of the world’s most sustainable corporations, Schneider Electric is leading at the heart of this transition through a multi-faceted approach that includes pursuing its own Net-Zero commitments, accelerating the growth of its Sustainability Business to advise other organizations on their decarbonization journeys, and pursuing investments in early-stage opportunities through its corporate ventures group.
I am a purpose driven, senior leader with a passion for inspiring shared vision and accelerating growth through innovation, a service-centric mindset, and a focus on value creation.
Throughout my career of ~20 years in energy & sustainability, I have been privileged to work with and learn from a significant number of people and organizations while collaborating on many high-value business opportunities. During this time, I consulted for Deloitte, helped launch multiple startups, and contributed to the rapid growth of Summit Energy, a company acquired by Schneider Electric in 2011 that now exists as Schneider Electric's Sustainability Business (SB). In my role as VP of Strategy & Innovation for SB, I help plot the course for our global team of 2,000+ professionals whose passion is enabling world-leading organizations to overcome challenges and capture opportunities in energy and sustainability.
At heart, I am an explorer, a trailblazer who pushes limits, thrives in challenging situations, and finds opportunity in ambiguity. I seek to understand why things are the way they are and boldly advocate for change when the time is right. For me, there is joy in the journey, in learning, in relationships developed and problems solved, in victories, and even in those rare moments of defeat. My goal for the future is to continue leading others by example – with character, conviction, and integrity – ultimately turning future possibilities into present realities.
Let’s build something great together.
Joshua Posamentier is Co-Founder and Managing Partner of Congruent Ventures. Joshua oversees Congruent’s investments in PolySpectra, Sense Photonics, Energetic Insurance, TeleSense, Bellwether Coffee, Xtelligent, ArcByt, Fox Robotics, and Emergy Labs. He has rich experience in venture (Prelude Ventures, Intel Capital) and operating roles (Intel, National Semi, TI), and entrepreneurship (CEO of Blipstream). He was an integral member of Intel’s first wireless chip team, started and ran National Semiconductor’s EV, Energy Storage and Smart Grid business units and initiated investment in several new business lines. Joshua has over 50 patents issued or pending, holds a BA in physics from the University California at Berkeley, and holds MBAs from the Columbia Business School and the Haas School of Business. Josh is an avid cyclist, skier, sailor, surfer, and photographer and lives with his family in the SF Bay Area.