Training and supporting startups so they can tackle the world's biggest challenges.

My name is Jared, an experienced entrepreneur and program director. Over the past few years I have led accelerator programs that have trained over 50 different early-stage startup teams, helping them to raise $20+ million in funding along the way. Now I am the Entrepreneurship Director of the Biomimicry Institute where I help entrepreneurs and organizations tackle sustainability challenges through nature-inspired design.

Program Development

• Entrepreneurship training & curriculum​ development
• Creation of advisor & mentor networks
• Strategy behind prize & business plan competitions

Startup Coaching

• Deep focus on problem identification & customer discovery
• Business modeling & lean startup development
• Pitch coaching​

Speaking & Facilitating

Past speaking engagements have included:

• Youth entrepreneurship workshops
• "What's next in social entrepreneurship"
• "The future of food & agriculture innovations"

How can I help you challenge your startups?

Get in touch

 

Featured Work

Appointed as an Entrepreneur in Residence for Penn State's Humanitarian Engineering & Social Entrepreneurship program, where I coach student and faculty led projects.

As Program Director of Thought For Food, I grew the TFF Challenge to reach 140 different countries and catalyzed 30+ social enterprises.

I was hired by Happy Valley Launchbox powered by PNC Bank to cultivate the resources and connections needed to help Penn State startups thrive.

The Youth Assembly at the United Nations invited me to facilitate entrepreneurship workshops with their participants, which succesfully sparked numerous new enterprises.

I was selected to take part in three dot dash's prestigious mentorship program as an expert mentor with skills in agriculture technology, and food & ag based social enterprises.

Invited as an expert coach for the Ignite Retreat, a weekend retreat for students just beginning to launch their new social ventures.

I was an original co-founder of GreenTowers (now known as BEEcosystem), an agricultural design firm. There I led operations and business development.

Served as a ThinkImpact Scholar in rural Kenya, where I used Human Centered Design skills to facilitate the launch of a food preservation company.

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Jared is an inspirational human being and a leader in the space of social impact and entrepreneurship. I hope that every purpose-driven entrepreneur out there has the opportunity to work with Jared, the value he delivers is immeasurable!

Christine Gould

Founder & CEO

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Thought For Food Foundation

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His experience living and starting a business in Africa gives Jared a peculiar perspective and understanding of what African startups are all about. He thinks outside the box and walked us through to solutions instead of just handing them out, which is what empowerment through instruction and mentoring is all about.

Albert Kure

Co-Founder

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Jared is a connector, someone who can speak easily and deeply with almost everyone he comes in contact with. In his leadership style, he challenges others in ways that work to bring out the best in people.

Dustin Betz

Founder & CEO

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BEEcosystem

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Jared was key to Agrosmart's development, making us important industry connections and providing business feedback. He is a problem-solver and makes it comfortable for anyone to approach him and ask for help. 

Mariana Vasconcelos

Founder & CEO

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Agrosmart

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Jared has an amazing ability to mobilize individuals and communities to reach their potential. His experience designing startup bootcamp experiences is outstanding. Jared's energy and passion for his work is contagious and he was a privilege to partner with!

Talis Apud Martinez

Co-Founder

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Crew 2030

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Jared is a kind, thoughtful leader who deeply understands the ins and outs of developing and executing business ideas. I am always impressed by his ability to create and facilitate immersive programming that helped young entrepreneurial teams refine, enhance and pitch their solutions for global change.

Holley M. Murchison

​Founder & CEO

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Oratory Glory

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Get to know me.

• I have coached 50+ different startup teams, and have evaluated thousands of pitch submissions
• Combined, these startups have received $20+ Million in funding, including the $1M Hult Prize
• Startups I have coached have been featured on the BBC, National Geographic, Smithsonian, and Forbes!
• Check out this interview with the UN Environment
• I enjoy "slow travel" and have spent 1 month or more in 9 different countries, including Colombia, Kenya, and Portugal
• During one of these trips I lived in the Swiss Alps, taking care of goats!
• One of my favorite things is to spend time in intentional communities, and I wrote some best practices here
• I hold an Executive Certificate in Social Impact Strategy from the University of Pennsylvania, and a BS in Mechanical Engineering from Penn State University