Ann Carpenter is a passionate advocate of the global Blue Economy with 30+ years of experience in strategic planning, marketing, and business development.

She is the Co-Founder and CEO of Braid Theory and serves on multiple boards and advisory positions. In her free time, Ann enjoys sailing, kayaking, scuba diving, and gardening.

Jim Cooper has 25+ years of experience in commercialization, focusing on early-stage technology startups in the Blue Economy. He excels in market validation, competitive analysis, and go-to-market strategy. \Jim serves as an ambassador, mentor, and advisor in various entrepreneurship and biotech programs. Outside work, he enjoys sports, ice cream, and playing drums in punk rock bands.

Jessica has led multiple startups as a founder and executive leader in operations, sales / marketing, and directly leading technology teams to scale faster and efficiently. With her deep educational and professional experience, she continues to build technology communities and mentor entrepreneurs.

Anastassia, an international business and banking regulation expert, is applying her detail-oriented legal knowledge to oversee all entrepreneur, partner, supplier, and employee contracts. She is also working towards the now-famous “baby bar” exam.

A Principal and Founder at a local international law consultancy, Ryan employs his legal expertise to advise entrepreneurs on international compliance and intellectual property.

Experienced graphic and web designer with a strong focus on user-centric design. Skilled in web development, multimedia content creation, and accessibility. Committed to enhancing online experiences and fostering community connections.