Join Invest Nova Scotia, Start-Up Yard at COVE and the Ocean Startup Project on Thursday, June 8 — World Oceans Day — for our impactful climate-focused Business Over Breakfast hosted at COVE’s Colin MacLean Hall. You’ll hear from a panel of innovators in the ocean sustainability and climate space who will talk about the impact start-ups and communities can make on our climate in Nova Scotia and the world.

This event is for anyone interested in oceans and climate solutions and will be a fantastic opportunity to connect with other founders and members of the ocean technology ecosystem, as well as learn from the panelists’ experiences.

 

Event Format:

Breakfast Networking | 8:30 am – 9:00 am

Panel | 9:00 am – 10:00 am

 

Meet the Panelists:

Marciel Gaier – Founder & CTO, GIT

Dr. Gaier holds a PhD in materials engineering from Dalhousie University, specializing in aerospace coatings. He began his career by contributing to the development of ceramic fibers for reinforcing composite materials and thermal protection at high temperatures in collaboration with the Brazilian Space Agency. He further expanded his expertise as a researcher at SNOLAB, where he focused on the preparation and development of chips for detectors, and the creation of a gel-polymer for sensors and data analysis in the dark matter field.

Prior to his role at GIT, Dr. Gaier gained valuable experience as an engineer for new product development at Whirlpool. Throughout his career, he has been instrumental in generating significant intellectual property, with patents in three patent families to his name. As the technical lead at GIT, Dr. Gaier is committed to building high-performance teams that strive to achieve ambitious technical goals.

Moira Frier – General Manager, Sedna Technologies

Moira is the general manager at Sedna Technologies. She is a local Nova Scotian who is passionate about working in the fisheries industry that is so intrinsic to her regional identity. Her favorite part of the job is visiting and building relationships with her clients to understand their unique business needs. She has the ability to analyze diverse business operations and provide results-oriented technology solutions that improve operational efficiencies.

She has a bachelor’s degree in engineering technology from Cape Breton University and a diploma in industrial engineering technology from Nova Scotia Community College.

Doug Jones – Founder & CEO, IGNITE

Doug is a business leader and innovator with over 20-years experience as an inventor and entrepreneur in product design and business development. Doug’s experience spans multiple sectors including the sporting goods sector, pro sports marketing, publishing, and product development. In 2018, Doug founded IGNITE Atlantic and has been leading the organization as CEO to develop a start-up and innovation ecosystem in rural Nova Scotia. The organization has expanded quickly in Nova Scotia with sites in the Southwestern and Northern regions and is currently helping the growth of over 55 companies in these regions. IGNITE also focuses on industry innovation working with traditional industries to help bring an innovation lens to these companies and help them develop new processes and market opportunities. Included in this work are initiatives around seafood innovation, sustainability and climate change programs.

Doug has launched multiple products in the sporting goods sector with various companies including Wilson, Louisville Slugger, Rawlings, Pro Performance Sports and others. Doug has also expanded his business ventures to include ocean technology start-ups and has launched products globally in this sector.

Register for the event here!