Team

CEO and co-founder

Carol is a co-inventor of the core COnovate Technology and leads the start up activities. She has extensive expertise in condensed matter physics, has garnered over $5M in external funding.

CTO and co-founder

Marija is a co-inventor of the core COnovate Technology and leads the R&D efforts. She has extensive expertise in nanoscience and nanotechnology and is a Fellow of the Microscopy Society of America. Leadership experience includes Dean of the Graduate School of University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee.

Strategy and Commercial Development

Jeff is a business consultant and serial entrepreneur. With over twenty years of operations and business development experience in materials startups, Jeff has had significant success with attracting industrial collaboration (instrumental in generating over $35M in non-dilutive industry funding at his last startup) and government programs (producing over $30M in government research funding in his first materials startup).

Commercialization and Scientific Advisor

Yakov, retired Chief Technology Officer and Chief Scientific Officer of Cabot Corporation, a global specialty chemicals and materials company, led the development of multiple products and manufacturing innovations, commercializing new materials across established and emerging businesses. Yakov advanced Cabot-wide technology platforms including carbon nanostructures and materials for next generation batteries. Yakov is the CEO and Founder of MateriaX, and Expert-Residence at Harvard University.

Commercialization Advisor

Miodrag (Miki) has worked at large companies and start-ups where he managed technical and business organizations to innovate, develop and commercialize products in various markets. Over the last decade, Miki has focused on development of new technologies and products for batteries and other energy storage applications. He worked closely with leading battery, automotive, energy and electronics companies as well as academic and governmental partners.

Commercialization Advisor

Deborah is currently Director of Research and Development at Silatronix. Deborah has 20 years of corporate R&D experience developing battery technologies and over 25 years direct experience with materials synthesis and characterization.

Senior Project Manager of Operations

Marvin is a condensed matter physicist with 20 years experience in structure and property of materials. He leads the materials synthesis of the new Graphene Monoxide-based materials and characterization of their physical properties.

Associate Scientist and Research Technician

Julie is a chemical engineer who generates anodes with the new materials and tests them in batteries for superior electrochemical properties.

Financial Specialist

Connie is an experienced entrepreneur with successful exit under her belt, supports our financial and infrastructure operations.

Member of Business Advisory Board

Loren has extensive experience in business, as CPA, as serial entrepreneur (including as CEO), and manager/partner of one of the largest private VC funds in Wisconsin. He is an entrepreneurial advisor, founder and CEO of EAS-MKE.

Member of Business Advisory Board

David has over 35 years of experience in leadership positions in battery/energy storage companies (Black & Decker, GE, Gates Energy Products, AER Energy Resources, and Neah Power), and provides strategy, marketing, business development, and general management support. He holds a B.S. in physics and mathematics from Luther College in Decorah, Iowa.

Member of Business Advisory Board

Vickie is a Materials Expert with 35+ years of experience in materials development, was Global Director of External Technology at Sherwin-Williams, has developed and commercialized 1000+ products and 7 patents.

Scientific Advisor

Deyang holds an endowed chair in energy storage, and provides COnovate with access to the Battery Lab where we conduct R&D, and affords scientific guidance and networking with the battery community.