HNS - Core Team

Hawaii NanoSciences Core Team

David Soane, Chairman
Dr. Soane is a serial entrepreneur and innovator in the field of nanotechnology. A prolific researcher with hundreds of published articles as well as more than 100 patents, he served as a tenured Professor of Chemical Engineering at UC Berkeley for 15 years, prior to founding several companies focused on direct market applications, including: ACLARA (NASDAQ: ACLA ), a maker of reagents for genomic, proteomic, and diagnostic applications; Nano-Tex, a fabricator of textile materials with unique performance characteristics; 2C Optics, a just-in-time manufacturer of polymeric eyeglass lenses; ZMS, a developer of the next generation of contact lenses; and ICBM or Innovative Construction and Building Materials, whose current technology focuses on filters and wallboard construction. In his positions with Hawaii NanoSciences, Soane Labs and Durafizz LLC, he is currently focused on innovations for mature industries, including foods and beverages, cosmetics, home and personal care, paper, and energy. Dr. Soane received his Ph.D. in chemical engineering from UC Berkeley.

M. Sharon Webb, MD, PhD, Vice President of Intellectual Property
Dr. Webb has been helping companies develop their IP strategies for over ten years, assisting investors in evaluating a company’s patent position, assisting companies with patent portfolio development and risk management, and negotiating agreements for technology transfer. A registered patent attorney, Dr. Webb is Of Counsel with Vantage Counsel, LLC, in Honolulu, and she was previously a partner at Goodwin Procter LLP and an associate at Foley Hoag LLP. Her technical experience includes pharmaceuticals and related organic chemistry, biotechnology, medical devices, and diagnostic and therapeutic methods. Before entering the legal field, Dr. Webb practiced surgery as part of an interdisciplinary breast cancer team in Boston, and provided technology consulting services to mutual fund managers. Board-certified and a Fellow of the American College of Surgeons, she has taught at Harvard, Tufts and Penn. Her postdoctoral training included residencies, fellowships and research experience at Massachusetts General Hospital and Penn. She received her M.D. degree from Duke, her Ph.D. from Yale, and her J.D. from Harvard.

Martha F. Groves, Chief Financial Officer
Ms. Groves has over 25 years of experience in finance and operations, and over the past 10 years has served as the first financial executive in a number of venture-backed technology startups. In the early part of her career, Ms. Groves held various positions in finance and management at Analog Devices, Sun Microsystems, and AT&T. She served as the Vice President of finance for Novera Software, and then moved to Charles River Ventures where she was operations director for CRVelocity, a consulting services business created to accelerate the progress of Charles River Ventures portfolio companies. She then became Chief Financial Officer of SnowShore Networks, a venture-backed telecommunications equipment company in the voice over IP market. Most recently, Ms. Groves was the Chief Financial Officer of Openera Technologies, a privately held mobile software company with offices in the US and India. Ms. Groves holds an A.B. in Chemistry from Middlebury College and an M.B.A. from the Tuck School at Dartmouth College.

Eric Darmstaedter, Director
Mr. Darmstaedter is currently the CEO of ClearFuels Technology Inc., a startup in the cellulosic biomass-to-ethanol market. Mr. Darmstaedter serves on the Board of Directors for several other Soane companies, including Hawaii Nanosciences, NanoPaper, Soane Energy and DuraFizz. His background is in the energy and environmental engineering business, with over 25 years experience at energy-related companies. Mr. Darmstaedter holds a BS in engineering from Cornell University.

Michael T. Pfeffer, Director
Mr. Pfeffer has over ten years experience in the venture and private equity industries. He co-founded Kolohala Ventures in Hawaii in 2006. Previously, he was CEO of Persis Corporation, a Hawaii-based private equity firm, and was a co-founder of Pinpoint Venture Group in Seattle. Mr. Pfeffer holds a BA from UCSB, a MA from the University of Hawaii, and a MA from the University of Washington.

	Hawaii NanoSciences Core Team David Soane, Chairman Dr. Soane is a serial entrepreneur and innovator in the field of nanotechnology. A prolific researcher with hundreds of published articles as well as more than 100 patents, he served as a tenured Professor of Chemical Engineering at UC Berkeley for 15 years, prior to founding several companies focused on direct market applications, including: ACLARA (NASDAQ: ACLA ), a maker of reagents for genomic, proteomic, and diagnostic applications; Nano-Tex, a fabricator of textile materials with unique performance characteristics; 2C Optics, a just-in-time manufacturer of polymeric eyeglass lenses; ZMS, a developer of the next generation of contact lenses; and ICBM or Innovative Construction and Building Materials, whose current technology focuses on filters and wallboard construction. In his positions with Hawaii NanoSciences, Soane Labs and Durafizz LLC, he is currently focused on innovations for mature industries, including foods and beverages, cosmetics, home and personal care, paper, and energy. Dr. Soane received his Ph.D. in chemical engineering from UC Berkeley. M. Sharon Webb, MD, PhD, Vice President of Intellectual Property Dr. Webb has been helping companies develop their IP strategies for over ten years, assisting investors in evaluating a company’s patent position, assisting companies with patent portfolio development and risk management, and negotiating agreements for technology transfer. A registered patent attorney, Dr. Webb is Of Counsel with Vantage Counsel, LLC, in Honolulu, and she was previously a partner at Goodwin Procter LLP and an associate at Foley Hoag LLP. Her technical experience includes pharmaceuticals and related organic chemistry, biotechnology, medical devices, and diagnostic and therapeutic methods. Before entering the legal field, Dr. Webb practiced surgery as part of an interdisciplinary breast cancer team in Boston, and provided technology consulting services to mutual fund managers. Board-certified and a Fellow of the American College of Surgeons, she has taught at Harvard, Tufts and Penn. Her postdoctoral training included residencies, fellowships and research experience at Massachusetts General Hospital and Penn. She received her M.D. degree from Duke, her Ph.D. from Yale, and her J.D. from Harvard. Martha F. Groves, Chief Financial Officer Ms. Groves has over 25 years of experience in finance and operations, and over the past 10 years has served as the first financial executive in a number of venture-backed technology startups. In the early part of her career, Ms. Groves held various positions in finance and management at Analog Devices, Sun Microsystems, and AT&T. She served as the Vice President of finance for Novera Software, and then moved to Charles River Ventures where she was operations director for CRVelocity, a consulting services business created to accelerate the progress of Charles River Ventures portfolio companies. She then became Chief Financial Officer of SnowShore Networks, a venture-backed telecommunications equipment company in the voice over IP market. Most recently, Ms. Groves was the Chief Financial Officer of Openera Technologies, a privately held mobile software company with offices in the US and India. Ms. Groves holds an A.B. in Chemistry from Middlebury College and an M.B.A. from the Tuck School at Dartmouth College. Eric Darmstaedter, Director Mr. Darmstaedter is currently the CEO of ClearFuels Technology Inc., a startup in the cellulosic biomass-to-ethanol market. Mr. Darmstaedter serves on the Board of Directors for several other Soane companies, including Hawaii Nanosciences, NanoPaper, Soane Energy and DuraFizz. His background is in the energy and environmental engineering business, with over 25 years experience at energy-related companies. Mr. Darmstaedter holds a BS in engineering from Cornell University. Michael T. Pfeffer, Director Mr. Pfeffer has over ten years experience in the venture and private equity industries. He co-founded Kolohala Ventures in Hawaii in 2006. Previously, he was CEO of Persis Corporation, a Hawaii-based private equity firm, and was a co-founder of Pinpoint Venture Group in Seattle. Mr. Pfeffer holds a BA from UCSB, a MA from the University of Hawaii, and a MA from the University of Washington.
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