Dr. Patrick Meier is a seasoned founder with over 15 years of experience in emerging tech, innovation, and social impact, with a strong commitment to climate action and social justice. He leads the Climate Robotics Network and consults at EPFL’s Vice Presidency of Innovation. Previously, he was EPFL’s Entrepreneur in Residence and Strategy Lead for Robotics. As the co-founder and Executive Director of WeRobotics, he facilitated drone technology deployments in 40+ countries for disaster response and climate action. Patrick has delivered 200+ talks, including 5 TEDx talks, and holds a PhD from The Fletcher School. He was born and raised in Africa.

Tendai Pasipanodya is a passionate advocate for leveraging business as a tool for job creation and solving critical challenges in African countries. With 20 years of experience in entrepreneurship promotion, Tendai has spent the last eight years as a systems change expert, focusing on the transformative potential of drone technology. She co-founded the Drones Doing Good Alliance (DDG Alliance) to foster an enabling environment for drone innovation, emphasizing the localization of technology and building local capacity to address challenges effectively.

Adam Zylka is an Unoccupied Aircraft Systems (UAS) Research Engineer at the University of Vermont’s Spatial Analysis Lab, integrating his academic and industry experience with UAS and geospatial technology. As part of UVM’s core membership in the FAA’s ASSURE Center of Excellence, his research focuses on disaster response and recovery, environmental monitoring, and data exploitation as well as training students, professionals, and emergency responders to harness the latest advancement in UAS technology to shape a more resilient future. As one of the earliest student members of the University of Vermont’s UAS Team, Adam graduated from UVM in 2014 before becoming the first American employee of Swiss UAS manufacturer senseFly, serving a critical role in establishing and expanding the company’s North American presence. In addition to managing senseFly’s American Customer Service & Satisfaction team, Adam served as a technical trainer and consultant for enterprise partners, federal agencies, research universities, and Fortune 500 corporations. Adam is a member and former Vice President of Drones For Earth, a Swiss NGO that focuses on demonstrating and promoting the great potential of UAS to protect our planet and support local communities. He has conducted a variety of UAS missions across the globe for environmental monitoring, infrastructure inspection, humanitarian aid, and historical preservation.

Chris is the Chief Corporate Development Officer, CRO, and a Co-Founder at Fotokite, a Switzerland and USA-based team working to help first responders save lives and stay safe with autonomous and accessible situational awareness data. Chris brings 17 years of experience in leading teams in unmanned aerial and ocean robotics in North America and Europe, including serving as Fotokite’s CEO from 2016-2021. Prior to building the Fotokite team, he developed autonomous vehicles and remote sensor systems at Scripps Institution of Oceanography. He holds an MSc in Engineering Sciences and a BSc in Neuroscience from the University of California San Diego.

Benton Szejk is the Atlantic Sales Manager at Wingtra AG, working with East Coast UAS, geospatial, and construction partners to promote the WingtraOne, a high-precision vertical take-off and landing drone. He focuses on identifying opportunities, qualifying prospects, and supporting Wingtra’s market strategy. A graduate of The Citadel, Benton developed his career in construction and sales, serving major projects across the Southeast. His passion for drones stems from his love of capturing outdoor adventures, including surfing, fishing, and hiking with his dog.