Luca Zullo holds a Degree in Chemical Engineering from the University of Padua, Italy and a Ph.D. also in Chemical Engineering from Imperial College of Science, Technology and Medicine in London, United Kingdom. He started his career at Shell Research in The Netherlands where he was involved with design and automation of novel petrochemical and oil processes. He joined Cray Research to lead the effort to apply high performance computing applications to the petrochemical and oil refining industry.  During that time he led a project aiming to integrate large scale process simulation with 3D visualization to provide a fully dynamic and immersive simulation environment for training, design and process improvement. This project, "The Virtual Plant" was a finalist for the Smithsonian-Computerworld award for innovation in Computing. After joining Cargill, he focused on biofuels and bio-energy in plant operations with an emphasis on "waste" to energy and second generation biofuels. At Cargill he was the technical lead of a group that developed domestically and internationally methane capture projects in agricultural operations to harvest renewable energy and carbon credits. He is the founder of VerdeNero LLC, a technical service and consulting firm for the biomass and biofuels industry, a member of the advisory board of CoordinateCapital LLC and an appointed member to Minnesota Governor Pawlenty's Clean Technogy Energy Collaborative.

Marc von Keitz is a biotechnology manager and entrepreneur.  He is currently Program Director at the Biotechnology Institute of University of Minnesota where he oversees the University's central fermentation facility.  He significantly expanded the facility's industrial customer base and increased its revenues nearly 10-fold.  He also built and managed the Biotechnology Institute's incubator pilot program, which hosted 9 startup companies and led to the development of the University Enterprise Laboratories Incubator in St. Paul.  His research is focused on the combination of biological and chemical processes for the conversion of biomass to fuels and chemicals.  Previously he worked as an engineering consultant for Montgomery Watson in Walnut Creek, California.  In 1995, he founded Green Homes Marketspace, an online marketing firm promoting energy-efficient, health-conscious, and environmentally sound residential housing.  Marc earned a B.S. and M.S. in Chemical Engineering & Biology from the University of Karlsruhe, Germany. He went on to obtain a M.S. and a Ph.D. in Environmental Engineering from Stanford University and the University of Minnesota, respectively.

Tom Schulz is a serial entrepreneur and investor in the Cleantech and Internet spaces. He is a co-founder of the Cleantech Circle.  Prior to becoming an investor, Tom already had over twenty years of technical and business experience. He worked on computer languages at Digital Equipment Corporation's Western Research Lab in Palo Alto and artificial intelligence and multimedia projects at Apple Computer in Germany. Tom was a strategic management consultant for The Boston Consulting Group at their Munich and San Francisco offices. In 1995, Tom co-founded the first publicly traded, nationwide Internet service provider in Germany, Cybernet AG, where he served on the executive management board. After going public with Cybernet, he went on to become an angel investor with the Munich Business Angel Network. Later he was a member of The Angels' Forum, a professionally run investor group in Palo Alto, which also manages the Halo Funds. Tom currently serves on the advisory board of Earlybird Venture Capital in Munich. Tom earned an M.B.A. from Stanford University and an M.S. in Computer Science from the University of Karlsruhe, Germany. Tom founded the Bay Area regional chapter of the KIT (Karlsruhe Institute of Technology) Alumni Association.

Professor Flickinger is the lead inventor of the biocoating technology.  He is currently Professor of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering & Professor of Microbiology at North Carolina State University.  He also serves as the associate director of academic programs for NC State's Golden LEAF Biomanufacturing Training and Education Center (BTEC). Michael has authored more than 100 academic and professional publications and is an internationally recognized expert in industrial bioprocess technology, cell culture technology, biochemical engineering, industrial microbiology, bioseparations, containment technology, and bioprocess facilities and equipment design. He holds 20 patents and has trained more than 30 graduate students in biotechnology related to process technology. He was the founding director of the University of Minnesota Biotechnology Institute; editor of the Encyclopedia of Bioprocess Technology and the forthcoming Encyclopedia of Industrial Biotechnology; and director of the National Cancer Institute's Fermentation Program.  He was recently named a Fellow of the American Chemical Society.

former Principal Scientist, 3M. Coating Technology Expert. 1988 Inductee to the Carlton Society for his contribution to the creation of innovative solventless coating processes.

Daniel J. Monticello, Ph.D. is Vice President, Research and Development with Glycos Biotechnologies, Inc. in Houston.  GlycosBio is a biochemical company pioneering metabolic engineering and microbiology innovations to produce green chemicals from non-traditional feedstocks such as glycerol. 
Dr. Monticello has more than 20 years of experience in industrial biotechnology. Prior to joining GlycosBio, Dr. Monticello was co-founder of Molecular LogiX, Inc., an early stage metabolic and protein engineering company.  Before founding Molecular LogiX, Dr. Monticello was Vice President, Research and Development and a co-founder of Energy BioSystems Corporation (ENBC).  ENBC focused on developing new biorefining technologies including their novel biodesulfurization technologies for gasoline and diesel.  Dr. Monticello has also held several project and research management positions with Miles Inc (part of Bayer, Inc.), in their Biotechnology and Enzyme Products Divisions. Dr. Monticello is an inventor or co-inventor on 20 issued US patents, is an active presenter in the scientific community and has published many scientific papers and articles.

Albert B. Brown spent over 40 years in research as a Chief Scientist and Corporate Fellow for Rohm and Haas.  Mr. Brown is a leading worldwide expert in emulsion polymerization, who has contributed to a number of new product technologies.  In 2001, Mr. Brown's significant work in the field of polymers earned him the designation of Corporate Research Fellow at Rohm and Haas. Corporate Research Fellow is an honor reserved for very few scientists who have consistently delivered strategic innovations, technical leadership, and sustained success to the company. He is only the third Corporate Fellow in the 99 year history of the company.  He retired from Rohm and Haas in 2009.  Mr. Brown received his Bachelor's degree in Chemistry from Temple University.

Dr. Douglas Wicks has held technical and leadership positions in R&D and operations spanning a 20 year career.  Dr. Wicks has extensive experience in research and commercialization of technology with a chemical emphasis in academe, high-tech start ups and a Fortune 100 company. Currently, Dr. Wicks consults for start-up firms in the area of sustainable routes to industrially relevant chemicals and  intermediates. He has been involved in two early stage Greentech venture capital funded startup companies, Segetis Inc. and Draths Inc, where he was responsible for forming and staffing Product and Process R&D. Both of these companies were focused on the conversion of biomass into chemical intermediates to replace petroleum derived commodity chemicals. Most recently Dr. Wicks is the Founder and CEO of Hennepin Life Sciences LLC, Hennepin Life which was formed to develop, market and sell natural products that prevent and control infections.
Prior to entering the arena of sustainable chemistry startups, Dr. Wicks was the Robert M. Hearin Professor of Polymer Science at the University of Southern Mississippi, and prior to that, he was at Bayer Corporation for 13 years in a succession of research positions of increasing responsibility. His final position at Bayer Corp. was as Vice President for Research of the Coatings and Colorants Division with broad responsibilities in all aspects of polyurethane coating technology.
He received his PhD in Polymer Science and Engineering from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst and his BS in Chemistry from North Dakota State University. Dr. Wicks has 38 issued patents, 14 published patent applications and 70 publications related to biosourced chemicals, polymer synthesis and polyurethane coatings.