【9/30 (Fri)】crQlr Meetup Hida

Kotaro Iwaoka is the CEO of Hidakuma. In 2011, Kotaro joined the creative company Loftwork, Inc. with the idea of creating the world’s first cafe equipped with digital fabrication machines, “”FabCafe””. In 2012, he opened the first FabCafe in Tokyo, where he worked as the Creative and Operations Director. In 2015, Kotaro contributed to the launch of Hida no Mori de Kuma ga Odoru (“”Hidakuma””), a project aimed at promoting the woods and craftsmanship of Hida, Japan. In 2016 helped open FabCafe Hida and has served as the CEO of Hidakuma since 2019.

Yeliz is a social designer and catalyst experienced in social innovation, entrepreneurship, community action and ecosystem building. She holds 10+ years of accumulated knowledge in the areas of regenerative agriculture, circular economy, climate action and diversity & inclusion. Currently, she serves as Knowledge Sharing Coordinator at Global Landscapes Forum, where she uses digital space to enhance landscape restoration efforts worldwide, and to create pathways to turn knowledge sharing into action on the ground. Previously at B Lab Europe, she was responsible for network management, strategy, and climate initiatives. She also worked at Impact Hub Amsterdam as a Community Catalyst, and started a business in natural skincare. Yeliz holds a joint master’s degree in Sustainable Development, and a bachelor’s degree in Industrial Engineering. Overall, Yeliz is a strong believer in the power of collaboration for a positive future.

Ronaldiaz Hartantyo is the Co-founder of Mycotech Lab (MYCL), a bio-based material startup from Indonesia. MYCL’s objectives are to grow material using mushroom mycelium as a natural adhesive. By collaborating with local mushroom farmers to produce sturdy, lightweight products from strong, organic fibers that are formed into custom shapes, including BIOBO boards, a binderless board using mushroom mycelium as natural adhesive and MYLEA a leather-like material which fully grown using mushroom mycelium. MYCL utilizes agricultural waste and turns them into material. 

Kelsie joined Loftwork and FabCafe in 2017 and oversees the FabCafe Global network. In FabCafes across Asia, Europe and America, Kelsie strategizes and aligns Fab synergies to empower everyone to take the initiative to make and share their ideas with local and global communities. Kelsie is also the Tokyo organizer for the Global Goals Jam (GGJ), a two-day designathon and community which aims to create short term solutions for the Sustainable Development Goals. Kelsie has organized sustainability and design thinking workshops in Tokyo, Bangkok and Hong Kong.