evolution: a podcast by entrepreneurship@UBC

Building financial literacy and creating communities for change with Investor Kookai Chaimahawong, hosted by Michelle Sklar

In this episode of our podcast evolution, Entrepreneur in Residence, Head of Venture Growth Strategy Michelle Sklar speaks with Kookai Chaimahawong, ESG Partner at UpperStage.Capital, on building financial literacy skills - where to start and how to advance your confidence - to the trends she is seeing across the investment landscape. Listen to get Kookai’s perspective on what changes she is seeing in industry, her advice for early-stage founders and why she thinks community will change the future of how we do things.  Kookai Chaimahawong  Throughout her career, Kookai Chaimahawong [https://www.linkedin.com/in/kookaic/?originalSubdomain=ca] has been known for her curiosity, bold vision, and constantly pushing the boundaries of the existent. Her work expanded from launching an award-winning technology start-up, forming impact partnerships at the United Nations, and most recently investing in breakthrough technologies in climate, food & agriculture, and health at an impact Venture Capital fund. Kookai's recommendations and resources: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1VhOWCOiSVoXfIpF62pkf7nFim4oPX6lm/edit?usp=sharing&ouid=107318224356123846357&rtpof=true&sd=true [https://docs.google.com/document/d/1VhOWCOiSVoXfIpF62pkf7nFim4oPX6lm/edit?usp=sharing&ouid=107318224356123846357&rtpof=true&sd=true]

(Part 1) - Building a more sustainable minerals industry with Dr. John Steen of BRIMM hosted by Climate Venture Studio Lead Dr. Shannon Bard

How can mining become a solution to climate change instead of a contributor? In this episode of evolution, hear from Dr. John Steen, Director of BRIMM [https://brimm.ubc.ca/], The Bradshaw Research Initiative for Minerals and Mining, on the future of mining and how it can wield solutions to the climate opportunity. Led by entrepreneurship@UBC’s Climate Venture Studio [https://entrepreneurship.ubc.ca/engage-us/venture-founder/climate-venture-studio] Lead Dr. Shannon Bard, the two discuss Dr. Steen’s origins as a ‘rock loving kid’ to his experience bridging academic research with industry to leverage discoveries into action. About Dr. John Steen Dr. John Steen has served as the BRIMM Director since July, 2020. Before that, he spent a year as the BRIMM Ambassador from the Norman B. Keevil Institute of Mining Engineering. He is skilled in developing collaborative research with industry and has 15 years of experience in managing industry research and commercialization partnerships. About BRIMM BRIMM [https://brimm.ubc.ca/] creates multidisciplinary teams of leading researchers to work with industry to find solutions to the biggest challenges facing the mining industry and trains the next generation of multidisciplinary professionals.

#IWD2021: Leadership in a Time of Crisis

evolution is a podcast shining light on our ecosystem’s stories of innovation, impact and hustle throughout their venture building journey. Join us as we build community and knowledge related to entrepreneurship during the course of COVID-19.  Leadership in a time of crisis: As women stand on the front lines of the COVID-19 pandemic, both the strength of their contributions and disproportionate burdens they carry, amplify the significant gaps in gender equality. Who are the leaders in our communities we can draw inspiration from and how are they leading in their organizations, institutions and communities? Adapted from our International Women’s Day event, #IWD2021: Leadership in a Time of Crisis, we present to you an inspiring discussion unpacking the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on women entrepreneurs, leaders and innovators and learn how we, as an ecosystem, can move forward and take action. Featuring Kristina Bergman [https://www.linkedin.com/in/krbergman/], Partner, Pender Ventures, Rohene Bouajram [https://www.linkedin.com/in/rohenebouajram/], Associate Director, Strategic IBPOC (Indigenous, Black and/or People of Colour) Initiatives at UBC, Nazneen Damji [https://www.unwomen.org/en], Policy Advisor, Gender Equality, HIV, and Health, UN Women, and Michelle Sklar, Head of Brand and Marketing and EIR, entreprneurship@UBC.

How to Grow a Strong Team Culture, a Candid Conversation with Co-founder and CEO of AVA Technologies, Valerie Song

evolution is a podcast shining light on our ecosystem’s stories of innovation, impact and hustle throughout their venture building journey. Join us as we build community and knowledge related to entrepreneurship during the course of COVID-19.  On this week’s episode of the evolution podcast, host and entrepreneurship@UBC’s Creative Specialist MJ Araujo speaks with Valerie Song, Co-founder and CEO of AVA Technologies. AVA strives to let anyone grow anything, anywhere, shifting society’s preference away from cheap, mass agriculture tomore local, nutritious, and sustainable options with their smart indoor gardens. Learn how Valerie grew AVA from 5 to 15 people in the last year, scaling AVAs team culture to match their values driven principles and the new innovations coming down their pipeline. About Valerie Song BC 30 Under 30 winner Valerie Song [https://www.linkedin.com/in/valeriesong/], CEO of AVA [https://avagrows.com/pages/about], a startup making smart indoor gardens to help people get growing. Valerie is a passionate and bold leader that loves growing both plants and people. While working in brand management at blue-chip consumer product companies, she found a passion for brand building. She launched and marketed products from organic granola to craft beer. Under her leadership, AVA has gone to file 3 patents, raise $3M in funding, and win 15 different awards. Outside of work, Valerie is a proud advocate for diversity in STEM and youth entrepreneurship.

Entrepreneurial Thinking: What does it mean to be an entrepreneur in today's world?

What makes someone an entrepreneur and how can we champion this mindset across our ecosystem? Dive into the latest adapted session from entrepreneurship@UBC Immersion Week titled “Entrepreneurial Thinking: What does it mean to be an entrepreneur in today’s world?” featuring Valerie Song of AVA Technologies, Emre Akkas and Hanna Golota of GlobalMe, Harrison Brown of HeadCheck Health, Kim Kaplan, formerly of Plenty of Fish and Pieter Dorsman of Angel Forum to learn about their entrepreneurial journeys: what inspired them to pursue entrepreneurship, how they nurture culture and how YOU can create a business that drives impact. Moderator: Pieter Dorsman [https://www.linkedin.com/in/pdorsman/], Director, Angel Forum Host: Chang Han [https://www.linkedin.com/in/changhhan/?originalSubdomain=ca]  EIR, entrepreneurship@UBC Speakers: Hanna Golata [https://www.linkedin.com/in/hannagolota/?originalSubdomain=ca] and Emre Akkas, [https://www.linkedin.com/in/emreakkas/?originalSubdomain=ca] Co-founders, GlobalMe Kim Kaplan [https://www.linkedin.com/in/kimberlykaplan/?originalSubdomain=ca], previously VP Product with Plenty of Fish/Match.com Valerie Song [https://www.linkedin.com/in/valeriesong/?originalSubdomain=ca], Co-founder & CEO, AVA Technologies Harrison Brown [http://linkedin.com/in/harrisonjamesbrown], Co-founder & CEO, Headcheck Health