Brian Bennett

• Built a world-class team of professionals who share my passion for innovation and sustainability, and who work tirelessly to develop cutting-edge LED lighting solutions that drive efficiency, profitability, and environmental stewardship. • Transformed indoor agriculture by developing high performance, high efficiency LED lighting solutions that optimize plant growth while reducing energy consumption. • Secured substantial VC funding from prominent investors, including Y-Combinator, to fuel Thrive Agritech's growth and establish the company as the dominant lighting manufacturer for indoor agriculture. • Developed Thrive Agritech into a highly successful company with a global customer base, generating substantial revenue and establishing a reputation for excellence and innovation in the industry. • Contributed to the creation of a more sustainable, resilient, and equitable food system by empowering indoor farmers to produce healthier, more nutritious crops, year-round and with less energy, and promoting a more circular economy through the recycling of our products.

• Built and managed the technical teams for Illumis Lights, a supplier of advanced LED lighting fixtures throughout England and the United States. As Illumis' first employee, I was instrumental in developing and executing the company's business plan. • Oversaw a variety of technologies to support Illumis Lights’ LED lighting business, developing key upstream and downstream partnerships that contributed to the company's growth and success. • Personally audited over 80 manufacturing facilities and oversaw a team in China that audited over 350 facilities to help select and partner with the most reliable manufacturers in the country. • Led the China-based Quality Assurance and Quality Control teams and oversaw product testing and conformance to regulations including LM79, EnergyStar, DLC, UL, and CE.

• Managed the engineering department and oversaw all product development, ranging from concept to prototype to mass production. This involved leading LED and lighting market analysis and projections, allocating resources accordingly, and interfacing with key component suppliers including LED and IC manufacturers to develop relationships based on competitive advantages. • Managed international sales in territories including Europe, Australia, and South America, contributing to the growth and expansion of the company's LED product line.

• Took responsibility for all Energy Star and Design Light Consortium activities, including testing and listing, and geared product development activities towards utility and government rebates. • Studied and identified market trends in LED lighting to introduce competitive products capable of gaining traction in the marketplace. • Performed return on investment and payback analyses, accounting for energy consumption and product lifetime characteristics. • Developed and delivered educational presentations regarding LED technology and the competitive landscape in which it falls. • Initiated and fostered new business relationships with customers, resulting in over $1M worth of LED package, module, and fixture sales in both domestic and international markets. • Managed all private label activities for LED retrofit bulb products, including product validation, business agreement development, forecasting, and distribution and sales through major retail environments like Walmart and Amazon.com.

• Developed product portfolio roadmaps for LED lamps, ensuring Philips' position as a leader of the LED Retrofit market. By studying the LED lighting marketplace and identifying competitive trends, I was able to collaborate with the Product Development Team to create an innovative and competitive North American LED Retrofit line. • Managed the introduction of a complete LED lamp product line into North America, overseeing spec creation, product packaging, and consumer product placement. I also composed technical marketing materials and effectively forecasted and grew lamp sales in the United States and Canada by aggressively increasing inventories required to hit multi-million dollar sales goals. • Studied the LED lighting marketplace and identified competitive trends. Through collaboration with the Product Development Team, I was able to contribute to the creation of an innovative and competitive North American LED Retrofit line. • Grew Philips' market share in the LED Retrofit market and positioned the company for future growth and expansion. Overall, my time at Philips Lighting allowed me to develop valuable skills in product management, forecasting, and marketing.

• Conducted extensive research and authored optical, thermal, and electrical application notes for high-powered LED applications, effectively resolving design issues that were recurrent in most LED systems and significantly facilitating the Applications Engineering Team’s work. • Collaborated with major companies including Samsung, LG, Casio, and 3M to design and optimize their light engines and thermal solutions, successfully doubling the mobile projector system brightness from 100 lumens to 200 lumens in less than 18 months. • Performed comprehensive optical and electrical LED characterizations for spec creation and product development, researching and characterizing the effects of pulsing frequency on LED lifetime and performance, which enabled new applications. • Regularly interfaced with customers and managed engineering and sales/marketing meetings, supporting technical sales and writing marketing literature that led to a significant increase in the Display Business Unit's sales. Through my work as an Optical Applications Engineer, I developed valuable skills in research, collaboration, and customer engagement that continue to serve me well today.

Designed, developed, and tested highly accurate laser-based electro-optical systems for the semiconductor manufacturing industry. My focus was on characterizing and integrating acousto-optic modulators and deflectors into the optical system. Through this experience, I gained valuable skills in system design, testing, and integration while working with a talented team of engineers.