Eben Bayer grew up on his family’s farm in Vermont, where he worked as a young man. When he graduated college with dual degrees in Mechanical Engineering and Innovation & Design, Eben did not return to the farm, but he also did not forget it. Eben uses biology and engineering to create disruptive solutions that are good for people and the planet. Based on his inventions, Eben has evangelized a strategy of bio-adaptation around the world, including presentations at TED Global, PopTech, and Davos. Today, Eben is the CEO and co-founder of Ecovative, which takes its name from ecology and innovation. Ecovative is a biomaterials company growing sustainable materials and products with unique living organisms. Ecovative has been recognized as a Tech Pioneer by the World Economic Forum, for its potential impact on climate change by the Postcode Lottery Green Challenge, the EPA Environmental Quality Award, and the Buckminster Fuller Challenge for socially responsible design. After establishing multiple Fortune 500 customer accounts with Mushroom® Packaging, Ecovative licensed its patented technology to Sealed Air Corporation to expand production throughout North America. Today, Ecovative is developing its material platform to displace other markets, including engineered woods, seed starters, and insulation. Eben is also interested in augmentative neuro-systems, thermodynamics, education, and monetary systems modeled around life. He serves on the external advisory board of the Arizona State University (ASU) Origins project, and advises start-ups in and around New York. Eben received his degrees from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. For the 18 years prior, he studied agriculture and farming through hands on learning. Ecovative recently announced that it will be relocating it's manufacturing operations from Cedar Rapids, Iowa to Troy, NY. Ecovative raised $14M in equity financing in 2013; backers included the DOEN Foundation and 3M.