Rising entrepreneurs thrive on challenge and drive toward solutions

It’s been a monumental year of change in everything from the way we work and study to what we consume and how we give back to our communities. This year’s Avenue Magazine Top 40 Under 40 honours list, which includes no less than 18 people with UCalgary connections, highlights the rising entrepreneurs, creators, researchers and activists who are paving the way for what comes next.

In Part Three, you’ll meet: Dr. Doug Brown, PhD’17; Tomi Ajele, MPP’22; Dr. Leslie Skeith, MD’10; Dr. Jordan Raugust, BSc’05; and Dr. Kenneth Fuh, PhD’17.

Dr. Doug Brown, PhD’17

• Chief Technology Officer and co-founder, ZS2 Technologies

As Chief Technology Officer and co-founder of ZS2 Technologies, Dr. Doug Brown, PhD, and his company are repurposing waste brines from the oil-and-gas sector into carbon-storage cements. The direct air capture technology translates into highly resilient, more sustainable building materials than conventional cement, one of the most carbon-intensive materials around. On the world stage, Brown and his team were recent finalists for the US$100-million XPRIZE, funded by Elon Musk. Read the Q&A.

Tomi Ajele, MPP’22

• Editor-in-chief, Afros In Tha City; Partnership & Engagement manager, Apathy is Boring; board president, Plastic-Free YYC

Juggling her full-time job with Apathy is Boring, a charitable organization that encourages civic discourse by youth in Canada, Tomi Ajele also manages the Black Futures collaboration with local media organization, The Sprawl. This 28-year-old dynamo is adept at growing an audience, raising funds, participating in revenue-growing initiatives and public speaking. All the varied spaces Ajele touches are catalysts for Black Calgarians to share their stories. Read the Q&A.

Dr. Leslie Skeith, MD’10

• Associate professor, University of Calgary; hematologist, Alberta Health Services

A physician-researcher whose aim is to improve care for people who are pregnant by improving the prevention and treatment of blood-clotting conditions, Dr. Leslie Skeith, MD’10, is also leading three international research studies. She also co-founded a thrombosis clinic and a clinic for those with antiphospholipid syndrome, a condition that causes blood clots and pregnancy complications. Since she completed her training, Skeith has received more than $1.75 million in funding. Read the Q&A.

Dr. Jordan Raugust, BSc'05, MD

• Clinical assistant professor, Cumming School of Medicine; president, Kinesis Medical Centre

With a special interest in pediatrics, ultrasound-guided interventions, specialized testing for nerve disorders and the utilization of therapeutic exercise to treat specific conditions, Dr. Jordan Raugust, MD, is also an entrepreneur. In 2015, he and his partner teamed up with three other doctors to establish Calgary’s first group-based physiatry, the Kinesis Medical Centre. With 23 examination rooms, the clinic is currently the largest of its kind in Canada. Read the Q&A.

Dr. Kenneth Fuh, PhD’17

• Co-founder and director of product development, Syantra Inc.

It’s a PhD candidate’s dream — to spin your research into a successful company. That's precisely what Dr. Kenneth Fuh, PhD, did when he created Syantra Inc., parlaying his work in diagnostic and therapeutic solutions for breast cancer into a company. The company’s breakthrough product, Syantra DX Breast Cancer Test, uses a unique set of biomarkers to detect breast cancer from a blood sample. Syantra DX is currently available across Canada and is aiming to penetrate foreign markets. Read the Q&A.

Shannon Doram, BKin’07

Shannon Doram is president and CEO of YMCA Calgary, running the two biggest YMCAs in the world. You can enjoy her Avenue profile here.