Speaker presentation: 

Dear Avi, can you tell us who you are? 

I am one of the world’s leading authorities on business digitalization and exponential-tech convergence. I am the Founder of XponentialWorks, an advisory and venture investment firm, and part of EverZinc digital. We formed EverZinc Digital a year ago as a dedicated innovation and transformation unit, with a clear mandate to accelerate the development of sustainable, scalable, and economical zinc-based products and applications. EverZinc Digital is focusing its activities primarily on the development of new rechargeable energy storage solutions; extended-life packaging and coating applications; and new skincare, rubber, and agricultural products. In addition to 3D printing, EverZinc Digital also seeks to integrate AI, digital manufacturing, nanotechnology, sensors, and robotics into the company’s entire value-chain and operations.

As the former president, CEO and director of 3D Systems (NYSE:DDD), I led the company for over twelve years, building the additive manufacturing market leader. Previously, I served as senior operating executive and corporate officer of Sealed Air (NYSE:SEE) for twenty-two years. I also served on the board of directors of Harman International (NYSE:HAR) until its sale to Samsung.

In 2013, I was listed by Fortune Magazine as a top 50 business leader and in 2014 I was named by Popular Mechanics as one of the top 25 Makers Who Are Reinventing the American Dream. My acclaimed TED talk about the future of 3D printing has garnered more than 2.6 million views. I share my insights as a frequent contributor to Fortune, Forbes, TheNextWeb and TechCrunch. I am a core faculty member at Singularity University, a member of the XPRIZE board, and a trustee of the Cooper-Hewitt Smithsonian Design Museum. For the past 12 months,  I have been working on new rechargeable zinc air concepts with EverZinc. 

Why did you decide to participate to R-Zinc ? 

I believe that no one can do it alone in this day and age and to succeed we must form coalitions and collaborations. R-Zinc is a foundational opportunity for like-minded people, companies and government to come together and share learning and experience in order to promote and accelerate the adoption of zinc solutions globally.  I believe that we can use earth abundant, safe materials like zinc to store energy. Rechargeable zinc batteries, and in particular zinc-air batteries, have long been considered the “holy grail” of energy storage due to their low cost and safe, environmentally friendly materials. Zinc is abundant and has a significant cost advantage to lithium-ion. Battery safety is also important. At R-Zinc we can accelerate global and regional development, get governments, academia and industry to collaborate and catapult this technology forward towards convincing commercial success and long term viability.