Elliot is the former founder of Spira, a biomanufacturing company that creates carbon-negative materials from engineered algae grown by a global network of farms and Head of Business Development and Venture Portfolio in Agriculture at Deep Science Ventures. He started multiple independent laboratories including IndieLab RVA, Biopunk Society and Cellsius. He is a Kairos, Future Founders, Halcyon and LBF Fellow, holds a degree in biomedical engineering; previously started 8 companies, 4 nonprofits, studied synthetic biology for 12 years and worked for 5 years as a product consultant. He is incredibly motivated to solve physiological needs using simple biological design and enabling access to the tools of biotechnology. In his spare time he plays music, and participates in space analog missions while residing in San Francisco. At the helm of California Shine, our team is revolutionizing the distillation industry by slashing aging times and costs by 80% through our innovative fast-aging service. This breakthrough has positioned us as a key player in sustainable alcohol production, a testament to our commitment to cost efficiency and cutting-edge technology. Simultaneously, as President of Cellsius Community Biolab, I’ve cultivated a thriving biotech community, significantly reducing lab space costs and fostering the growth of a 250+ member network that actively engages in educational events and collaborative projects.