Company
We design and operate scalable bioreactors that use our society’s most abundant product – industrial greenhouse gases – and our specialized growing systems to cultivate algae and other crops.
Our systems effectively close the carbon loop and create wealth from waste.
The Pond Story & Purpose:
Our purpose is simple: To Make the world a better place.
Mission
Pond’s mission is to combine technology with the power of nature to tackle climate change and food insecurity. We are determined to massively scale our technology, unlock tremendous value, and leave a healthy planet.
Vision
We aim to become a global cleantech leader by establishing algae as a foundation of the new low-carbon economy essential to a better and healthier life for people everywhere.
Mission
Pond’s mission is to combine technology with the power of nature to tackle climate change and food insecurity. We are determined to massively scale our technology, unlock tremendous value, and leave a healthy planet.
Vision
We aim to become a global cleantech leader by establishing algae as a foundation of the new low-carbon economy essential to a better and healthier life for people everywhere.
Team
Thomas Masney
Chief Financial Officer
Thomas has worked with Goldman Sachs & GE in venture capital, mergers & acquisitions, and for both Ernst & Young and Price Waterhouse in audit and corporate recovery. Thomas brings with him a strong understanding of the mining, construction, manufacturing, technology, and e-commerce industries.
Steven Martin
TECHNICAL ADVISOR
Steven is also past Director of the Jeffrey Skoll MBA Program offered through the Rotman School of Management at the University of Toronto to gifted young engineers, and was is a former Director of the Professional Development Centre in the Faculty of Applied Science and Engineering at the University of Toronto. He has also held the position of Director of the Centre for Advanced Microelectronics and was the founding Director of the Centre for Advanced Engineering Technologies at George Brown College.
Steven holds an H.B.Sc. in Chemical Physics and a B.A.Sc. in Mechanical Engineering, both from the University of Toronto.
Kevin Andrade
Chief Operating Officer
Kevin joined Pond as a strategic advisor in 2017 before assuming the role of Chief Operating Officer in early 2018. Before joining Pond, Kevin was a senior executive with SNC-Lavalin where he lead an emissions solutions business unit that executed projects globally in the mining and fertilizer industries. He holds a law degree from the University of Manitoba and practiced corporate and commercial law in Toronto and New York before joining SNC in 2006.
Emidio Di Pietro
Vice President, Engineering
Emidio is a results driven professional with the proven ability as a leader to systematically identify improvements, and implement solutions for achieving objectives, targets and goals in a team oriented environment.
Emidio has comprehensive experience in high volume manufacturing environments, managing several areas of operations such as production, quality assurance and maintenance. Emidio’s portfolio also includes extensive Engineering experience in areas of program management; from receipt of order to steady state production by managing the design, validation process, production launch, and in-house/customer production process validation.
Emidio Di Pietro
Vice President, Engineering
Emidio is a results driven professional with the proven ability as a leader to systematically identify improvements, and implement solutions for achieving objectives, targets and goals in a team oriented environment.
Emidio has comprehensive experience in high volume manufacturing environments, managing several areas of operations such as production, quality assurance and maintenance. Emidio’s portfolio also includes extensive Engineering experience in areas of program management; from receipt of order to steady state production by managing the design, validation process, production launch, and in-house/customer production process validation.
Punyama Jayasinghe
Chemical Process Engineer
Punyama provides design and optimization for Pond’s process, including oversight in to scale up challenges using FEA/3D modelling and simulations. She comes from a comprehensive background in bioprocessing and biofuels. Prior to Pond, she worked as a Research Engineer for various projects on conversion of industrial waste & emissions to Biofuels & Bio-products, and as a Renewable Energy Consultant at Practical Action.
Punyama holds a B.Sc in Chemical & Process Engineering from the University of Moratuwa (Sri Lanka) and a Master of Engineering from the Memorial University of Newfoundland. Her Master’s thesis focused on process optimization for biofuel/biodiesel production from fish processing plant effluents. Punyama is a licensed Engineer-in-Training with the PEGNL.
Dadrian Hinds
Automation & Control Specialist
Dadrian is passionate about design and implementation of cutting edge technologies. He is responsible for the control and automation scope in projects at Pond. Dadrian holds B.Eng. in Mechanical Engineering specializing in Mechatronics as well as a Mechatronics engineering technology diploma. Dadrian is a licensed Engineer-in-Training with the PEO.
GRANT SMITH
CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER
Grant has more than 25 years of combined experience in Business.
Development, Sales and Marketing and Senior Management. Grant brings substantial operating, integration, and M&A experience as Pond’s Chief Executive Officer.
Grant has a science background combined with an entrepreneurial skill set that lead him to starting several companies in the Wellness and Health Sectors. In 2016 Grant assisted in the start of Blender Bites Inc which is filing to go public. In 2018 Grant exited his company, RFI Canada, as he sold the company to Pond Technologies. RFI Canada grew at an annual rate of approximately 20% between 2013 and 2018 prior to being sold to Pond Technologies.
Grant then started Pond Naturals as the nutraceutical division of Pond’s wellness and supplement products including Astaxanthin, Spirulina and more. During Grant’s time at Pond Technologies, he guided the company on the acquisition of Regenurex a Vancouver, B.C. based producer of Astaxanthin. In 2020 Grant became the CEO of Pond Technologies.
Grant brings a unique dimension to the team, with broad knowledge of the CPG space and operating expertise. Grant graduated from the University of Guelph with an Honours B.Sc. in Human Nutrition and a minor in Human Kinetics. Grant prolific career significantly broadens Pond’s internal capabilities at this pivotal point in the company’s development.
THOMAS MASNEY
CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER
Thomas has worked with Goldman Sachs & GE in venture capital, mergers & acquisitions, and for both Ernst & Young and Price Waterhouse in audit and corporate recovery. Thomas brings with him a strong understanding of the mining, construction, manufacturing, technology, and e-commerce industries.
STEVEN MARTIN
TECHNICAL ADVISOR
Steven is also past Director of the Jeffrey Skoll MBA Program offered through the Rotman School of Management at the University of Toronto to gifted young engineers, and was is a former Director of the Professional Development Centre in the Faculty of Applied Science and Engineering at the University of Toronto. He has also held the position of Director of the Centre for Advanced Microelectronics and was the founding Director of the Centre for Advanced Engineering Technologies at George Brown College.
Steven holds an H.B.Sc. in Chemical Physics and a B.A.Sc. in Mechanical Engineering, both from the University of Toronto.
EMIDIO DI PIETRO
VICE PRESIDENT, ENGINEERING
Emidio is a results driven professional with the proven ability as a leader to systematically identify improvements, and implement solutions for achieving objectives, targets and goals in a team oriented environment.
Emidio has comprehensive experience in high volume manufacturing environments, managing several areas of operations such as production, quality assurance and maintenance. Emidio’s portfolio also includes extensive Engineering experience in areas of program management; from receipt of order to steady state production by managing the design, validation process, production launch, and in-house/customer production process validation.
DAN O’CONNOR
VICE PRESIDENT, BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT
Dan brings a broad depth of experience and knowledge in the integrated control systems and biofuels industries. As an entrepreneur in both industries Dan has extensive understanding of what it takes to bring new and emerging industries to scale and commercialization. With experience in all aspects of project and business development as well as having successfully raised capital specifically for project development.
More recently Dan has been involved in the Cannabis area where he was involved as a consultant in business development and ultimately in negotiations involving the sale of the company to a larger industry player.
His most recent ventures included project design and development for Instadose Pharma. As well as business development for a Startup in the emerging industry of personal power production with a company called Bronco power boost.
Dan graduated form University of Guelph with an Honours B.Sc. degree in Human Biology and Business Administration. Dan looks forward to utilizing his experience across a range of emerging industries to help Pond achieve commercialization of its patented technology.
KEVIN ANDRADE
CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER
Kevin joined Pond as a strategic advisor in 2017 before assuming the role of Chief Operating Officer in early 2018. Before joining Pond, Kevin was a senior executive with SNC-Lavalin where he lead an emissions solutions business unit that executed projects globally in the mining and fertilizer industries. He holds a law degree from the University of Manitoba and practiced corporate and commercial law in Toronto and New York before joining SNC in 2006.
DADRIAN HINDS
AUTOMATION & CONTROL SPECIALIST
Dadrian is passionate about design and implementation of cutting edge technologies. He is responsible for the control and automation scope in projects at Pond. Dadrian holds B.Eng. in Mechanical Engineering specializing in Mechatronics as well as a Mechatronics engineering technology diploma. Dadrian is a licensed Engineer-in-Training with the PEO.
Peter Howard
Vice President, Project Development
Peter is a senior business development and cleantech executive, having spent a career helping organizations understand how sustainability and climate change define risks and opportunities in public and private sector organizations. His role with Pond includes a combination of strategy and business development, having helped the company define strategies for new markets and applications for our technology.
Peter has worked with major international companies to create corporate strategies that align sustainability with financial objectives. Peter has delivered strategic sustainability consulting to both the public and private sectors, and a track record of helping organizations identify and execute sustainability-related initiatives that reduce risks and deliver returns. Previously employment includes working as a sustainability management consultant for PricewaterhouseCoopers, and as a Senior Policy Advisor to the Ontario government on climate change. Pond is Peter’s second start-up, having worked with a cleantech company called Zerofootprint prior to PricewaterhouseCoopers.
Peter received his Masters of Environmental Studies (Diploma in Business and the Environment) from York University in Toronto, and a BSc (comb. Hons) in Marine Biology and Contemporary Studies from Dalhousie University in Halifax, Nova Scotia.
History
2018
2017
2010-2016
2007-2009
Recognitions
Looking for a Challenging Career?
Pond is always interested in meeting talented, passionate individuals. If you think your values and skills match our vision and you want to be part of a team that challenges you to grow, get in touch!
Please submit your resume and cover letter at:
careers@pondtech.com