Aly Khalifa

Sustainable Innovation Expert

About

conceptual product designer, Mr. Khalifa has 30 years of experience in designing, engineering, and manufacturing unique technologies around the world. His clients have spanned from Bausch & Lomb and Seventh Generation to Walmart and Li&Fung. His collaborations have garnered more than 40 patents, been nominated for a Grammy Award and exhibited in the Louvre. Aly is an active Eisenhower Fellow and has garnered significant attention as a voice for sustainable design entrepreneurship, leading to lectures and mentorship worldwide. <br> Aly has pioneered numerous innovative endeavors, including: \- LiveLCA\, a patent\-pending system to report live impact data on product manufacturing\. \- Plastic Collective\, a pioneer in fugitive plastic recovery and credit with remote and vulnerable communities through deployable IOT\-enabled recycling operations\. \- Oceanworks\, an ocean plastic marketplace for consumer brands\. \- Designbox\, a multi\-disciplinary product innovation consultancy that has launched products for some of the most exciting sports brands in the world\. \- Gamila\, a gourmet product brand and Kickstarter sensation that was acquired by Seventh Generation\.

Education

North Carolina State University

BED, Environmental Design / May, 1990

Raleigh, North Carolina, United States of America

North Carolina State University

BS, Product Design Engineering / May, 1993

Raleigh, North Carolina, United States of America

Experience

Positive Company (Designbox)

Chief Innovation Officer and Co-Founder / October, 1995 — Present

Rebranded and refocused in 2023 for consulting to concentrate services on sustainable design and positive impact metrics. Designbox: Founded and built award-winning multidisciplinary firm focused on launching new consumer technologies and brands. Functioning as “Department of Innovation” for many long-term clients, including Seventh Generation, Bausch & Lomb, Li & Fung, Trek, Panasonic, J&J, Nike, and Stefan Sagmeister. Primary focus is invention development and launching of innovative product platforms. Work includes extensive international manufacturing leadership and intensive integrations with clients along with their vendors and staff.

McDonough Braungart Design Chemistry

Chief Operating Officer / January, 2023 — December, 2023

Leading the globally recognized team of assessors in the Cradle to Cradle Certified® program. Includes wide-ranging aspects in corporate operations with special attention to contracts, agreements, budgets and productivity. Includes leading the implementation and modernization of project management and chemical database systems.

McDonough Innovation

Chief Technical Officer / January, 2022 — December, 2023

Working with global clients for leading-edge sustainable innovation programs. Projects span products, packaging, energy, and a wide variety of emerging technologies. Special attention to providing best-in-class materials and processes information across a wide variety of uses. Work included pioneering an innovative solution that fused Lifecycle Assessments with Cradle to Cradle processes to work with MI’s vision for the Circular Carbon Economy.

Director of Design & Engineering / January, 2013 — December, 2022

Through Designbox, this collaboration with world-renowned William McDonough is to pioneer design innovation with leading sustainable practices in sustainable products and packaging. Projects focus on Cradle to Cradle certified products and strategies to disrupt corporate culture with “products with a conscience.” Collaborations have included Fetzer Wine, Johnson & Johnson, C&A Foundation, and Sabic.

Plastic Collective

Innovation Director / January, 2021 — December, 2022

Leading the team in developing plastic collection programs worldwide. Includes leading the charge in innovative systems to capture plastic credits, business model refinement, supply chain development and scaling the enterprise.

Project Director / March, 2020 — December, 2021

Director of a A$2.5m federally-funded grant to address plastic pollution with remote and vulnerable communities through building deployable micro-recycling factories.

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