Energy & Basic Resources

Valued experts focusing on the exploration, production, and management of energy sources and raw materials

Rushi Jariwala

Rushi Jariwala

Rushi Jariwala is a Project Manager and Construction Executive with more than 20 years of experience leading large-scale industrial, petrochemical, manufacturing, and mission-critical infrastructure projects across the United States and India. He specializes in delivering complex modular data center, industrial, and process facility projects, with expertise spanning project execution, construction management, operational readiness, quality systems, commissioning support, and multidisciplinary field leadership. Throughout his career, he has successfully managed complex construction programs while maintaining strong performance in safety, quality, schedule, and client satisfaction.
Currently serving as a Project Manager, Rushi leads the execution of mission-critical modular data center projects supporting artificial intelligence, cloud computing, and next-generation digital infrastructure. His responsibilities include construction planning, project controls, heavy-lift coordination, workforce management, client coordination, change management, RFIs, turnover planning, commissioning readiness, and overall project execution. Quality assurance and quality control remain an important component of his expertise, enabling him to integrate quality processes throughout every phase of project delivery. His recent leadership includes managing a $120 million modular data center installation involving 78 OptiStax modules, more than 600,000 construction manhours, and a peak workforce of approximately 440 personnel.
Beyond project execution, Rushi has made original technical contributions through the development and implementation of project quality management systems, inspection and testing methodologies, turnover documentation frameworks, and operational readiness processes that improve project consistency, regulatory compliance, and commissioning efficiency. He has also played a significant role in supporting multiple successful ASME U, S, R, and National Board Stamp certification audits by establishing robust quality procedures, documentation systems, and code-compliance practices for complex fabrication and construction projects.
Rushi is an active contributor to the advancement of construction and project management practices through his professional publications, technical presentations, and knowledge sharing. His thought leadership focuses on modular construction, mission-critical infrastructure delivery, operational readiness, quality integration, and project execution methodologies that support the continued expansion of artificial intelligence, cloud computing, and digital infrastructure worldwide.

Rushi Jariwala is a Project Manager and Construction Executive with more than 20 years of experience leading large-scale industrial, petrochemical, manufacturing, and mission-critical infrastructure projects across the United States and India. He spe... Show more

Matias Julian Christoffersen

Matias Julian Christoffersen

Matias Julian Christoffersen is a Microsoft Power Platform Architect who specializes in governance for the agentic era: how organizations run Copilot Studio, Microsoft 365 Copilot, and multi-agent systems at scale without losing control of data, cost, or compliance.

As Direction of Automation & Technologies at twoday, he designs the environment strategies, security frameworks, and Centers of Excellence that let citizen developers build quickly while giving enterprises the audit trail and lifecycle control that agents now require. His background spans business strategy, IT governance, and program management, built over years advising Nordic enterprises, most recently as a senior consultant at Devoteam before moving to twoday to lead Power Platform and Copilot Studio governance advisory.

Matias speaks regularly on securing and governing AI agents. Recent sessions include building a trusted foundation for Copilot Studio agents at the Global Power Platform Bootcamp, and designing responsible, decision-making multi-agent solutions at the Fælles AI-Implementering conference. His talks cover environment strategy, Managed Environments, DLP, Entra Agent ID, and what it takes to run a Power Platform Center of Excellence as an organization scales from a handful of pilot agents to a production fleet.

Matias Julian Christoffersen is a Microsoft Power Platform Architect who specializes in governance for the agentic era: how organizations run Copilot Studio, Microsoft 365 Copilot, and multi-agent systems at scale without losing control of data, cost... Show more

Lucía Villaverde Soler

Lucía Villaverde Soler

Business Intelligence and Power BI Developer

Business Intelligence and Power BI Developer Show more

Prashant Prashant

Prashant Prashant

Prashant has a Bachelors and Masters in IT from India and 17 years of IT experience in Canada across various industry verticals. He works as a Senior Cyber Security Advisor for a Fortune 500 company. He calls himself a self-styled geek with a purpose. He likes to support the budding cyber talent, share his experience and continue to progress the Cyber Security discipline in industry, academia and research fields. He considers himself a problem solver in solving interesting IT problems for the betterment and progress of human society.

He is an Information Security (IS) Leader, Specialist and Teacher with proven expertise in managing information security in several businesses including power, oil and gas, healthcare, government, retail and technology sectors.

He subscribes to a holistic approach in practicing Information Security architecture, Security Operations, Information Risk Management, Operational and Industrial Control System Security (OT/ICS) and Information Security Audits. Takes pride in driving IS programs to meet enterprise objectives and act as a trusted Cyber Advisor to the lines of business with regards to cyber risk. He prides himself in being able to balance stakeholder’s expectations to deliver projects against individual groups’ expectations in IT departments. He is a Subject matter expert in several aspects of Cyber Security including but not limited to Threat Assessment & Vulnerability Management, Risk Management, Incident Management, Operational Processes, and Architecture.

He has numerous research papers in the field of Quantum Computing, Youtube channel and videos on Quantum Computing, OT Security among others. He has presented in multiple IT and Security conferences over the years such as CIPS, ISACA Edmonton, B-Sides Edmonton, B-Sides Calgary, and Public Safety Canada ICS Symposium as mentioned below. He also has a passion of teaching Cyber Security courses in Northern Alberta Institute of Technology (NAIT) and Concordia University of Edmonton (CUE) to Bachelors and Master of Information Security Management students.

He likes to play chess, hike and camp in the mountains alone and ponder over the purpose of life and nature.

Prashant has a Bachelors and Masters in IT from India and 17 years of IT experience in Canada across various industry verticals. He works as a Senior Cyber Security Advisor for a Fortune 500 company. He calls himself a self-styled geek with a purpose... Show more

Vidura Wijekoon

Vidura Wijekoon

I am a Senior AI/ML Engineer focused on Technical Leadership, bridging the gap between theoretical research and scalable, real-world production systems. My career sits at the intersection of hands-on engineering, team management, and strategic innovation.

​Currently, as a Senior Software Engineer & Line Manager at Virtusa, I lead teams in defining the Solution Architecture for complex Machine Learning and Generative AI applications. I specialize in deploying these robust, cloud-native systems on AWS, balancing rigorous technical execution with talent development and delivery management.

​My perspective on AI is deeply informed by my previous role as Co-founder & COO of Trinet Innovations. That experience honed my ability to translate technical possibilities into tangible business value and societal impact, driven by a philosophy of "AI for all."

​Beyond corporate delivery, I am committed to advancing the global AI ecosystem. I am an active researcher and passionate educator, having executed over 45 diverse AI projects, conducted 50+ technical workshops, and mentored nearly 350 students, professionals, and startup founders globally.

​I am always open to connecting on innovative R&D collaborations, high-impact societal projects, and leadership opportunities.

I am a Senior AI/ML Engineer focused on Technical Leadership, bridging the gap between theoretical research and scalable, real-world production systems. My career sits at the intersection of hands-on engineering, team management, and strategic innova... Show more

Vincent Chiew

Vincent Chiew

Dr. Vincent Chiew, a founder of Axis Cogni-Solve Limited. The company provide “Peace of Mind” consulting and professional development solutions. He has over 35 years of experience in global security, engineering, business transformation, project management, quality, safety, AI, and IT. This includes practically all critical infrastructure sectors, from enterprise to industrial and military industries. He has also taught at vocational centers, colleges, and universities up to the postgraduate level. He enjoys Ballroom, Latin, and Country Western dancing with his wife socially.

Dr. Vincent Chiew, a founder of Axis Cogni-Solve Limited. The company provide “Peace of Mind” consulting and professional development solutions. He has over 35 years of experience in global security, engineering, business transformation, project mana... Show more

Matthias Rochtus

Matthias Rochtus

Matthias Rochtus, experienced public speaker and Data Scientist.
Main fields of expertise are Geospatial research, data engineering & CI/CD , Predictive Maintenance and Retrieval Augmented Generation (LLMs)

Matthias Rochtus, experienced public speaker and Data Scientist. Main fields of expertise are Geospatial research, data engineering & CI/CD , Predictive Maintenance and Retrieval Augmented Generation (LLMs) Show more

Yutaka Kikuchi

Yutaka Kikuchi

He is a manager of a renewable energy startup besides a professor at Kochi University of Technology. One of his interests is to develop a new platform for developing distributed industrial systems with Nerves. He received his Ph.D. from Tokyo Institute of Technology for his work on no-imperative languages in 1996.

He is a manager of a renewable energy startup besides a professor at Kochi University of Technology. One of his interests is to develop a new platform for developing distributed industrial systems with Nerves. He received his Ph.D. from Tokyo Institu... Show more

Oluwamayowa Ogbeide

Oluwamayowa Ogbeide

Oluwamayowa ogbeide is an MVP,MCT, Power Platform Developer from Lagos Nigeria,he got introduced to the Power platform in his under graduate year through Powerbi but has since gone on to becoming an Power Platform and RPA developer producing solutions for organisations to optimise their process and increase productivity.

Oluwamayowa ogbeide is an MVP,MCT, Power Platform Developer from Lagos Nigeria,he got introduced to the Power platform in his under graduate year through Powerbi but has since gone on to becoming an Power Platform and RPA developer producing solution... Show more

Eric Corey Freed

Eric Corey Freed

Eric Corey Freed is an award-winning architect, author, and global speaker. As Principal and Director of Sustainability for CannonDesign, he leads the healthcare, education, and commercial teams toward low-carbon, healthy, regenerative buildings for millions of square feet a year.

Using his Frictionless Framework™, he’s helped his clients uncover and implement innovative solutions and overcome barriers and obstacles holding back their ideas.

His work has been featured in: Time, Newsweek, Metropolis, Dwell, Fast Company, Forbes, The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal; and on-air in: Fox News, HGTV, The Sundance Channel and PBS.

Eric is the author of 12 books, including "Green Building & Remodeling for Dummies” and "Circular Economy for Dummies." In 2012, he was named one of the 25 "Best Green Architecture Firms" in the US, and one of the "Top 10 Most Influential Green Architects." In 2017, he was named one of Build's American Architecture Top 25. He’s one of the 2021 Environment + Energy Leaders and in 2024, he was named the Net Zero Trailblazer for Innovation. He holds a prestigious LEED Fellow award from the US Green Building Council.

Eric Corey Freed is an award-winning architect, author, and global speaker. As Principal and Director of Sustainability for CannonDesign, he leads the healthcare, education, and commercial teams toward low-carbon, healthy, regenerative buildings for ... Show more

Shana Dacres-Lawrence

Shana Dacres-Lawrence

Shana is an accomplished Senior Architect with over 13 years of experience and a strong foundation in Cyber Security and Software development. She has successfully led and delivered complex, high-quality consulting and architecture projects, including systems of critical national importance. Shana has also played a pivotal role in architecting one of the largest cloud transformations and migrations in Europe and designed an award-winning CIAM solution for a major electricity system operator.

A passionate advocate for diversity and inclusion in technology, Shana has been instrumental in establishing and driving internal communities within the organisations she has worked for. She is dedicated to attracting, retaining, and promoting women in tech. Shana is also the founder of ArchitectHer, a community platform devoted to supporting, inspiring, and elevating women in technology architecture.

Shana is an accomplished Senior Architect with over 13 years of experience and a strong foundation in Cyber Security and Software development. She has successfully led and delivered complex, high-quality consulting and architecture projects, includin... Show more

Siddharth Bellad

Siddharth Bellad

Siddharth Bellad is an AI builder and product thinker currently completing his Master's at Duke. With a background in process engineering and no CS degree, he taught himself to build with AI and in doing so, ran into every UX wall an AI product can create. He's built MVPs, shipped agents, competed in AI hackathons, and landed a product internship at an enterprise tech company. His perspective is from the inside: what builders actually trade away when moving fast, and what it costs the humans on the other end.

Siddharth Bellad is an AI builder and product thinker currently completing his Master's at Duke. With a background in process engineering and no CS degree, he taught himself to build with AI and in doing so, ran into every UX wall an AI product can c... Show more

William Wright

William Wright

Based in the heartland of America, Holding the title of Scotland’s first Chartered Cyber Security Professional (ChCSP) andelected member for the CREST Penetration Testing focus group (EMEA), CEO William Wright brings a wealth of experience in leading Security Testing teams across multiple verticals. Holding CREST certification in Penetration Testing and certified tester by The Cyber Scheme, William will have overall responsibility for the project and will use internal and external testing methodologies crafted by over a decade of Security Testing experience

Based in the heartland of America, Holding the title of Scotland’s first Chartered Cyber Security Professional (ChCSP) andelected member for the CREST Penetration Testing focus group (EMEA), CEO William Wright brings a wealth of experience in leading... Show more

Nikhil Dodda

Nikhil Dodda

Nikhil Dodda is an accomplished Senior Data Scientist with over five years of experience driving impactful AI and machine learning solutions across leading enterprises, including Exelon and Apple. With deep expertise in Generative AI, Time-Series Forecasting, and scalable MLOps, he has delivered robust data-driven strategies that enhance grid resilience, operational efficiency, and cost savings.
At Exelon, Nikhil leads the development of enterprise-level AI tools and vegetation threat detection systems using satellite and LiDAR data. Previously, at TCS (client: Apple), he improved LLM reliability and user experience through cutting-edge NLP, prompt engineering, and model evaluation frameworks. His background includes impactful forecasting and OCR solutions for clients like P&G and hands-on cloud experience across Azure and AWS ecosystems.
Nikhil holds a Master’s in Data Science from the University at Buffalo and a Bachelor’s in Electrical & Electronics Engineering from JNTU Hyderabad. He is a recipient of the TCS Service & Commitment Award and holds multiple industry certifications.

Nikhil Dodda is an accomplished Senior Data Scientist with over five years of experience driving impactful AI and machine learning solutions across leading enterprises, including Exelon and Apple. With deep expertise in Generative AI, Time-Series For... Show more

Cynthia Taylor | Dallas, TX

Cynthia Taylor | Dallas, TX

Cynthia Taylor is a Clean Energy and Infrastructure Finance Professional based in Dallas, Texas. She currently serves as Director of Finance at TAE Technologies, Inc., where she works to bring fusion energy to commercial reality. Previously, she served as Senior Investment Officer at the U.S. DOE Loan Programs Office, leading groundbreaking energy transition investments in carbon capture and storage, industrial decarbonization, and biofuels. Cynthia holds an MBA from the University of Southern California and is a doctoral candidate at Southern Methodist University. She is passionate about innovative financing solutions that accelerate the clean energy transition.

Cynthia Taylor is a Clean Energy and Infrastructure Finance Professional based in Dallas, Texas. She currently serves as Director of Finance at TAE Technologies, Inc., where she works to bring fusion energy to commercial reality. Previously, she serv... Show more

Prathyusha Mondru

Prathyusha Mondru

Prathyusha Mondru is a results-driven Project Engineer and Certified Project Management Professional (PMP) with experience in managing end-to-end power generation, infrastructure, and operational projects across various sectors, including construction, utilities, technology, and banking. She currently serves as a Project Engineer 2 at HOLT CAT, where she oversees project planning, budgeting, scheduling, and execution for city and county power generation initiatives, delivering Caterpillar generator systems for critical infrastructure, including hospitals, fire stations, and municipal facilities. Her role includes coordinating cross-functional teams, managing contractors, ensuring compliance with safety and quality standards, and leading installation, testing, and commissioning activities.
Previously, Prathyusha worked as a Project Consultant at Wipro, supporting business analysis, process improvement, stakeholder communication, and project reporting. She has also held roles as a Teaching Assistant at the University of North Texas, where she supported graduate-level Project Management and Technology Innovation courses, and as an Operations Analyst at Genpact, driving KPI-based performance analysis and process optimization. Earlier in her career, she served as a Quality Assurance Officer at ICICI Bank, contributing to large-scale digital banking and compliance initiatives.
Prathyusha holds a Master’s degree in Engineering Management from the University of North Texas, an MBA from Osmania University, and a Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering from Malla Reddy Engineering College. She is an active member of the Project Management Institute (PMI) and the PMI Dallas Chapter, and she brings a strong combination of technical expertise, structured project management, and cross-functional collaboration to complex, high-impact projects.

Prathyusha Mondru is a results-driven Project Engineer and Certified Project Management Professional (PMP) with experience in managing end-to-end power generation, infrastructure, and operational projects across various sectors, including constructio... Show more

Chris Aleman

Chris Aleman

Chris Aleman is a seasoned Data Analytics Manager at Guadalupe Valley Electric Cooperative (GVEC), where he leverages his expertise to drive data-driven decision-making and optimize business processes.

His passion for data analytics extends beyond his professional responsibilities. As a Microsoft Certified: Power BI Data Analyst Associate, a Co-Leader of the San Antonio Power BI User Group (PUG), and a speaker at Community Summit NA 2024 and Spark 2024, hosted by the Alamo Regional Data Alliance, Chris is actively involved in the data community, sharing his knowledge and experience.

When not immersed in data, Chris loves to travel with his wife, having explored 22 countries and covered over 61,000 miles together. Back home, they enjoy the company of their family of furbabies, including five cats, two dogs, a turtle, and too many fish to count.

Chris Aleman is a seasoned Data Analytics Manager at Guadalupe Valley Electric Cooperative (GVEC), where he leverages his expertise to drive data-driven decision-making and optimize business processes. His passion for data analytics extends beyond... Show more

Jaime Diego da Rosa

Jaime Diego da Rosa

Contador Sênior na Petrobras, pós graduado em Gamificação, Engajamento e Marketing Digital. Atuo com inovação, soluções digitais e Projetos de Gamificação com foco em motivação e engajamento dos funcionários.

Contador Sênior na Petrobras, pós graduado em Gamificação, Engajamento e Marketing Digital. Atuo com inovação, soluções digitais e Projetos de Gamificação com foco em motivação e engajamento dos funcionários. Show more

Kelvin Miles

Kelvin Miles

Kelvin Denzel Miles aka Poison Peso De' Gretzsky was born in Brooklyn , NY , when my mom passed my grandparents thought it would be better for me to be raised in North Carolina. I was a great student and learned how to be a man from my grandfather. Art was always my thing and just being a creative person. Music was always my passion from singing in youth church to choir at school. Other than that is was athletics and education. My father was and still lives in brooklyn and i tell him little things about nfts all the time. NFTS changed and are changing my life. Co-Founder of United Realities "URL to the IRL"

Kelvin Denzel Miles aka Poison Peso De' Gretzsky was born in Brooklyn , NY , when my mom passed my grandparents thought it would be better for me to be raised in North Carolina. I was a great student and learned how to be a man from my grandfather. A... Show more

Muhammad Haseeb Asif

Muhammad Haseeb Asif

Haseeb Asif is the Founder and CEO of Tenplus AB, a data and AI consultancy helping organizations build scalable, AI-ready data platforms. He works hands-on with clients across data engineering, analytics, and AI initiatives, focusing on strong data foundations rather than AI hype.

He holds a dual master’s degree from KTH Royal Institute of Technology and TU Berlin, with research in distributed systems and stream processing using Apache Flink.

Haseeb Asif is the Founder and CEO of Tenplus AB, a data and AI consultancy helping organizations build scalable, AI-ready data platforms. He works hands-on with clients across data engineering, analytics, and AI initiatives, focusing on strong data ... Show more

Reni Nishku

Reni Nishku

Bridge IT, OT, Security, SOC teams, and engineering groups, translating requirements, removing friction, and keeping critical operations running.

I’ve supported organizations through M&A, post-split builds, and major modernization efforts, developing Day-1 playbooks and OT/IT uplift strategies that bring clarity to complex environments.

My focus is simple:
Help organizations reduce risk, modernize securely, and operate with confidence.

Bridge IT, OT, Security, SOC teams, and engineering groups, translating requirements, removing friction, and keeping critical operations running. I’ve supported organizations through M&A, post-split builds, and major modernization efforts, develo... Show more

LaSheita Sayer

LaSheita Sayer

LaSheita Sayer - Founder, Executive Director, Women Who Charge

Recognizing the need for an inclusive space for women and a focus on workforce development within the electric transportation industry, LaSheita Sayer founded Women Who Charge. As its Executive Director, she leverages her extensive EV sector experience to promote and increase the presence of women in leadership roles, actively contributing to the training and growth of the future EV workforce.

LaSheita is a passionate advocate for EV expansion and greenhouse gas reduction. Her commitment to sustainability and talent development is evident through her active involvement in various organizations. She is a valuable member of the Denver Electric Vehicle Council and serves on the transportation subcommittee of the Denver Sustainability Advisory Committee, contributing to sustainable transportation solutions and the skilled workforce needed to implement them.

Beyond Denver, LaSheita has been an active member of the Colorado Electric Vehicle Coalition since 2020. Her work on the Equity, Policy, and EV Battery Recycling committees for the Colorado Energy Office showcases her dedication to creating a more equitable, sustainable, and environmentally-friendly future for all, underpinned by a well-trained and diverse workforce. LaSheita is a trailblazer, inspiring women to embrace their potential in electric mobility and fostering the next generation of industry leaders.

LaSheita Sayer - Founder, Executive Director, Women Who Charge Recognizing the need for an inclusive space for women and a focus on workforce development within the electric transportation industry, LaSheita Sayer founded Women Who Charge. As its ... Show more

Rajnish Sharma

Rajnish Sharma

Rajnish Sharma is the CEO and Founder of precogs.ai and a seasoned technology and security leader with experience in secure development, AI, and risk‑focused workflows. Previously, he served as Head of Investment Technology & AI at Allianz Global Investors, where he led strategic initiatives around AI, analytics, and technology for complex investment systems.

With a strong track record in secure coding practices, modern software risk analysis, and AI‑assisted engineering workflows, Rajnish focuses on practical methods that help development and security teams identify and mitigate issues early in the lifecycle. He regularly speaks on topics at the intersection of code security, AI integration, and real‑world application hardening.

Rajnish Sharma is the CEO and Founder of precogs.ai and a seasoned technology and security leader with experience in secure development, AI, and risk‑focused workflows. Previously, he served as Head of Investment Technology & AI at Allianz Global Inv... Show more

Mark Stewart

Mark Stewart

Modernisation drives business transformation. AI unlocks new opportunities, and introduces new challenges.

I help customers navigate both by simplifying complexity with AWS's expertise, tools, and services. With over 30 years supporting successful business transformation through technology, I bring deep experience in aligning technical solutions with strategic business objectives.

My focus: enabling leaders to accelerate modernization, harness AI responsibly, and achieve measurable outcomes that matter to their organizations.

Modernisation drives business transformation. AI unlocks new opportunities, and introduces new challenges. I help customers navigate both by simplifying complexity with AWS's expertise, tools, and services. With over 30 years supporting successful... Show more

Eileen Fürstenau

Eileen Fürstenau

During my studies I discovered my enthusiasm for technology, innovation and programming. After a few years in larger corporations such as Continental and IBM, I moved to the IT service provider MaibornWolff. Today, I work there as a software engineer in agile teams designing various digital products.

https://www.eileen-fuerstenau.com

During my studies I discovered my enthusiasm for technology, innovation and programming. After a few years in larger corporations such as Continental and IBM, I moved to the IT service provider MaibornWolff. Today, I work there as a software engineer... Show more

Matthew Burleigh

Matthew Burleigh

Matt wrote his first program in Fortran on a card punch machine in the early 80s. He survived the experience and moved on to use Toolbook, Delphi, VB, and finally the .Net framework for the last 15 years. He still gets twitchy when someone mentions DCOM or CORBA and doesn't want to get into a discussion about where curly braces should go.

He is currently a Software Development Manager at Bally Sports focusing on Azure; previously he was a Senior Developer at Pandora Jewelry and a Lead Developer at Constellation/Exelon.

Matt wrote his first program in Fortran on a card punch machine in the early 80s. He survived the experience and moved on to use Toolbook, Delphi, VB, and finally the .Net framework for the last 15 years. He still gets twitchy when someone mentions D... Show more

Dr. Majadi Baruti

Dr. Majadi Baruti

Rev. Dr. Majadi Baruti is an Earth Chaplain, poet, and theologian whose work bridges eco-spirituality, African cosmology, and the Musical and Poetic radical traditions of the African Diaspora. As founder and priest of Udja Temple, he has guided communities for over two decades in reclaiming ancestral wisdom, ecological balance, and the sacred presence of the Divine African Feminine.
His voice unites spiritual ecology with the rhythms of resistance found in Black music, ritual, and art. A dynamic and deeply grounded public speaker, Dr. Baruti delivers transformative keynotes, lectures, and workshops that inspire faith leaders, students, and activists to embody spirituality as both ecological practice and political liberation. His oratory carries the soul of a bluesman, the insight of a theologian, and the urgency of a justice worker.

Rev. Dr. Majadi Baruti is an Earth Chaplain, poet, and theologian whose work bridges eco-spirituality, African cosmology, and the Musical and Poetic radical traditions of the African Diaspora. As founder and priest of Udja Temple, he has guided commu... Show more

Adam Adler

Adam Adler

For Adam Adler, building a career has always been a gradual process, one shaped by steady learning, consistent effort, and a commitment to seeing projects through. Now based in Charleston as an entrepreneur and investor, he leads The Adler Fund, a private equity group investing in sustainable development, technology, real estate, and high-growth startups. His trajectory shows how experience across different fields can be combined into a thoughtful long-term vision.

Adam’s earliest foundation came from competitive tennis. As a young player, he trained at the Rick Macci Tennis Academy in South Florida, where structure and repetition were central to daily life. His dedication earned him a scholarship to the University of South Carolina, where he balanced the demands of NCAA athletics with a double major in Sports & Entertainment Management and Business. He graduated with honors in 2007. The expectations placed on him as a student-athlete helped shape his discipline, resilience, and ability to handle pressure, qualities he leaned on heavily in his later ventures.

Entrepreneurship first entered Adam’s life while he was still in college. At USC, he co-founded Ultimate Social Networking Inc. and Ultimate College Model, which became the first digitally native modeling network. These initial projects gave him an understanding of early-stage technology, online engagement, and the challenges of building communities in the digital space. They also sparked his interest in how emerging technologies could reshape traditional industries.

After completing college, Adam transitioned into the biotech space. He gathered a team of molecular scientists, including several who had previously served as biochemists at Merck and Amgen, to launch Fuse Science. The company built a 30k sq. ft. FDA- and cGMP-certified facility in Oxnard, California, which housed its headquarters and lab operations. As CEO, he oversaw the development of a nutrient delivery system that uses sublingual, buccal, and transdermal absorption to bypass digestion and enable faster nutrient uptake than capsules. During the company’s early phase, he self-funded operations, secured valuable intellectual property, and assembled a leadership group with Fortune 25 backgrounds. He then expanded the company’s visibility by partnering with distinguished athletes, including Tiger Woods, Andy Murray, David Ortiz, Jose Bautista, Tyson Chandler, Paul Pierce, Andre Ward, and Paul Rodriguez. With support from Daymond John, Fuse Science scaled rapidly, rising from an approximate valuation of $500k to more than $100M.

Alongside entrepreneurship, Adam built a presence in professional poker. Over the years, he reached several final tables at World Series of Poker events and achieved multiple deep runs in major World Poker Tour tournaments. His appearance at the televised final table of the 2022 WPT Championship demonstrated his ability to make disciplined, strategic decisions under high pressure. His experience in high-stakes cash games sharpened his risk assessment and patience, skills that closely reflect his investment philosophy.

The Adler Fund emerged from Adam’s desire to bring together his interests and experiences across multiple industries. Headquartered in Charleston, the firm invests in AI, real estate development, and emerging companies. As Managing Partner, he remains actively involved in evaluating opportunities, shaping strategies, and supporting founders.

In real estate, he focuses on sustainable development across the Lowcountry, emphasizing environmental responsibility, community value, and thoughtful design. In technology, he backs founders working on meaningful advancements in biotech, cyber, and child-focused education. One such investment is Wyzly, a learn-to-earn app where children earn screen time by completing educational challenges. The idea came from his 7-year-old daughter, Isla, and reflects Adam’s interest in healthier digital habits for families.

Adam’s leadership style is grounded in clarity, involvement, and purpose. Influenced early by observing his father’s success as a day trader, he learned the importance of resilience and disciplined decision-making.

As he looks ahead, Adam plans to continue expanding The Adler Fund’s work across real estate and technology, deepen partnerships with AI-driven companies, and support founders building ventures with long-term value. His focus remains on contributing to Charleston’s growth and helping shape projects that leave a lasting impact.

For Adam Adler, building a career has always been a gradual process, one shaped by steady learning, consistent effort, and a commitment to seeing projects through. Now based in Charleston as an entrepreneur and investor, he leads The Adler Fund, a pr... Show more

Ivan Savu

Ivan Savu

Ivan Savu is the Co-Founder of VeloxDB, where he is developing a high-performance database solution. Before focusing on databases, he worked as a software architect in the energy industry building high performance solutions.

Ivan Savu is the Co-Founder of VeloxDB, where he is developing a high-performance database solution. Before focusing on databases, he worked as a software architect in the energy industry building high performance solutions. Show more

Christopher Hadnagy

Christopher Hadnagy

Chris Hadnagy is the Founder and CEO of Social-Engineer, LLC. During Chris’ 19 years in information security, he created the world’s first social engineering framework and newsletter. He has also hosted the first social engineering-based podcast. Chris is the Founder, Executive Director, and Board Member, for the Innocent Lives Foundation, a nonprofit organization that identifies anonymous child predators and helps bring them to justice.
Having written five books on social engineering, Chris is also a well-known author. His most recent book, “Human Hacking: Win Friends, Influence People and Leave Them Better Off for Having Met You,” was released January 5, 2021.

Chris leads the way in educating people about social engineering. He created the world’s first Social Engineering Capture the Flag (SECTF) to raise awareness of this serious threat. Chris is also an Adjunct Professor of Social Engineering for the University of Arizona’s NSA designated Center of Academic Excellence in Cyber Operations (CAE-CO). And he also lectures and teaches about social engineering around the globe. Moreover, he was invited to speak at the Pentagon and other high-security facilities.

Chris works with some of the world’s leaders in scientific research for the purpose of acquiring a deeper understanding of social engineering. Notably, Chris authored a book with Dr. Paul Ekman regarding the use of nonverbal communication by social engineers.

Chris is certified as an Offensive Security Certified Professional (OSCP), as well as an Offensive Security Wireless Professional (OSWP). He is also the creator of the Social Engineering Pentest Professional (SEPP), Certified Ethical Social Engineer (CESE), and Master’s Level Social Engineering (MLSE), certifications.

Chris has consulted on security topics in many industries from medical, legal, manufactory, government and critical infrastructure.

Chris Hadnagy is the Founder and CEO of Social-Engineer, LLC. During Chris’ 19 years in information security, he created the world’s first social engineering framework and newsletter. He has also hosted the first social engineering-based podcast. Chr... Show more

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