Kit Mc Donnell
Kit McDonnell is a leading strategist and catalyst in the bioeconomy, driving transformation at the intersection of biotechnology, design, and climate solutions. Trained as a systems and molecular biologist, her work is deeply informed by environmental anthropology, exploring how human culture shapes—and is shaped by—the natural world.
Throughout her career, Kit has played a key role in integrating biotechnology into new industries, such as developing bio-strategies for material circularity and nature-based climate solutions. She has led industry-defining initiatives at LanzaTech, Ginkgo Bioworks, Enko Chem, and the Field Museum of Natural History, while advising and building high-impact collaborations with corporations, consumer and luxury brands, NGOs, and Fortune 500 companies.
A sought-after advisor, speaker, and thought leader, Kit is known for making biotechnology more accessible and relevant to culture, using unexpected intersections to drive change. Her projects have included working with artists, designers, and scientists to reimagine the future of materials and manufacturing—from reviving the scents of extinct flowers to creating the world’s first DNA-printed museum label. She also stewards Spring House Farm, a 250-acre living laboratory in Illinois’ Driftless Area.
Kit holds a degree in Biology from Tufts University and studied Global Creative Industries & Biotech Business at the University of Hong Kong
Stealth
From Fossil to Functional: The Rise of Zero-Carbon Materials
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Innovative materials hold the key to accelerating the transition away from fossil fuel dependence and into a thriving low-carbon future. This session will explore how novel approaches to manufacturing—from cutting-edge biotechnologies to scalable production techniques—are transforming the way we create everyday products. Attendees will learn how these next-generation materials can be scaled effectively, the latest insights on cost-competitive climate technologies, and the milestones needed to ensure they rapidly penetrate global markets. By highlighting diverse strategies and tangible success stories, this discussion will illuminate a clear path toward a defossilized economy—one where carbon footprints shrink and circularity becomes the new standard.
Culture Drives Technology
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This track delves into the dynamic interplay between cultural values and technological innovation, exploring how cultural needs, beliefs, and creative practices actively shape the development and adoption of new technologies. Key topics include the influence of art and storytelling on user-centric design, the role of tradition in tech adaptation across global markets, and the emergence of technologies that foster cultural preservation and social resilience. This track is essential for understanding technology not as an isolated driver of change but as an adaptive force deeply rooted in human experience and societal values.
Conference Pass
2,495
USD
Keynotes & Firesides
Workshops & Breakouts
1:1 Partnering App
Meals & Receptions
Session Recordings
Until Friday April 18th
Full Rate:
$3,495
