Exponential growth in the demand for resources is putting pressure on the planet like never before. Sustainability pioneer Eva Gladek, founder and CEO of Metabolic, will highlight how the circular economy can serve as a practical framework for identifying the exponential technologies and business cases to address the challenges of climate change, biodiversity loss, rapid urbanization, and more. From vertical and precision agriculture innovations that could deliver a sustainable food system, to decentralized materials reprocessing for regenerative urban environments, to dissolvable plant-based materials and iridescent dye labeling for sustainable packaging, Gladek will explore cutting-edge solutions – and the need to reshape economic systems and our entire worldview to make them reality.

Keynote topics

1. Unlocking Value in a Circular Economy: identifying business opportunities using a systems perspective
2. Towards circular cities: opportunities for innovation and new business through sustainable urban development
3. Exponential solutions for exponential times: Harnessing technology and systems change strategies to build a sustainable future
4. A Systems Thinking Approach to Urban Resilience

Biography

Eva Gladek was born and raised in New York City immersed in the international community surrounding the United Nations. She began her career as a molecular biologist with her first laboratory job at the age of 13, and continued on to work as a science journalist and television producer before developing her expertise in industrial ecology. Eva founded Metabolic, her second start-up, in 2012. In her years of consulting work and concept development, she has advised over 300 companies and industry leaders in sectors ranging from electronics to agriculture. She is an expert in technical environmental management techniques such as Life Cycle Assessment and Material Flow Analysis, and has developed many frameworks for systems thinking and sustainable design. Eva has a Master’s in Industrial Environmental Management from Yale University and a Bachelor’s in molecular biology from Amherst College.