Student Ventures & Success Stories

Community and international development

Surya Karki led the Diyalo Foundation to provide earthquake relief, expand education and rebuild housing in Nepal. His Hatchery project led directly to a successful $3 million campaign and the construction of two dozen new schools. In 2015 Surya co-founded UWS Nepal, which has since constructed over 80 schools and impacted over 15,000 children.

Inspired by the carbon negative island of Samsø, Denmark, Saren Peetz expanded R Project, a collaborative organization focused on revitalizing the economy on Mount Desert Island through community scale renewable energy and energy efficiency projects. Saren continues her community building work as a teacher at a Montessori school.

Noah Hodgetts developed the concept for MDI 2030, bringing together officials and planners from the four towns on Mount Desert Island and from Acadia National Park for comprehensive and integrated sustainability planning. Noah now serves as Principal Planner at the New Hampshire Department of Business & Economic Affairs.

Environmental engagement

Leland DeWalt created a wilderness adventure education program called Peak Pursuits to counter nature deficit disorder in children. Peak Pursuits took students into Acadia National Park and other locations where its curriculum helped young people appreciate unplugged experiences in the outdoors. He now works for Eastern Mountain Sports in community outreach and engagement.

Nathan Thanki strengthened [earth] (“Earth in Brackets”), a student advocacy group for issues on climate change and international environmental policy. He now is Co-Coordinator at the Global Campaign to Demand Climate Justice in London.

Arts and creative economy

Sophia Eliana developed her visual and performing arts business, producing an album, a concert, and a body of print and floral work. Since graduating she has released a second album, gone on multiple nationwide music tours, founded a floral design business, and been an Artist in Residence in Norway.

Robin Owings merged the realms of science and art and explored multiple venues for making her art a career by presenting her work online, in local galleries, museums, and other venues. She now works as a teacher and artist.

Luke Madden expanded his independent video and photography business, focusing on introducing his short film, Reasonable Doubt, to new audiences. He is now a multimedia producer at The Jackson Laboratory as well as a freelance videographer/photographer serving dozens of global clients.

Food systems

Jordan Motzkin founded Big Box Farms and sought patents for his disruptive urban agricultural technology. After founding a strategy consulting firm and co-founding a fintech startup for entrepreneurs, he is now the Chief Operating and Tech Officer for Grassroots Farms.

Matthew Doyle Olson created MDO Consulting to build community consensus around sustainable food systems and to find solutions to food sourcing issues. After serving as project manager at a sustainable agriculture institute, he now oversees initiatives at tech companies serving the education and nonprofit markets.

Juan Olmedo founded La Coyotera, an organic agave farm and production facility in Mexico. He still runs this business today.

Stevie Przekora DuFresne explored a farm business model that helps young farmers overcome the obstacles of land ownership, high capital costs and the lack of support network associated with founding a farm. She now is a full-time farmer in New England.

Lilyanna Sollberger created a beverage company, focusing on recipes, packaging, and financial projections. She is now using those skills to found a footwear company.

Aniruddha “A.J.” Jaydeokar worked on a social enterprise for women entrepreneurs producing specialty tea blends in Niger. A serial entrepreneur himself, A.J. has co-founded an edtech platform, served as Chief Marketing Officer for a digital storytelling startup, and is now studying finance, investment, and Sustainability Management at Columbia University.

Renewable energy

Nick Harris established Gourmet Butanol, a venture converting food waste to butanol, providing gasoline for cars and home heating oil. Nick got his PhD in chemistry and went on to found Berkeley Yeast, which supplies the fermented beverage industry with flavorful ingredients using climate-friendly production techniques.

Lisa Bjerke and Alex Pine consulted with Mount Desert Island Clean Energy Partners and built one of the first solar car charging stations in Maine. Alex is now a consultant working for ClimateWork Maine. Lisa is a science teacher in Sweden.

Jake Weisberg created Vegmatics, a venture selling parts and complete systems for converting diesel cars to run on recycled vegetable oil as fuel. Jake is founder and owner of Circuit Lab, employing dozens of seasonal staff members and teaching kids in the “iPad generation” how to use computers as tools.

Jose Merlo and Alan Fernald started Bike Revolution, a cycle-taxi business providing an alternative means of transportation in Bar Harbor, Maine during the peak tourist season. Jose now works for startup Orijin, driving traceability, sustainability, and compliance across agricultural supply chains in Latin America. Alan founded a purpose coaching company that empowers rising and mid-career leaders to increase their self-knowledge, express their mission statement, and maximize success in delivering on their purpose.