James Speck is a Professor in the Materials Department at the University of California Santa Barbara. In 2007, he and his longtime collaborators, Steve DenBaars and Shuji Nakamura, founded Kaai and Soraa to commercialize their work on nonpolar and semipolar nitrides. James’s many honors include the Quantum Device Award from the International Symposium on Compound Semiconductors in 2007, the IEEE Photonics Society Aron Kressel Award in 2010, and selection as a Fellow of the National Academy of Inventors in 2016. Credited with more than 800 publications, he received his S.M. and Sc.D. degrees in materials science from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. 

Dr. Hiroshi Kawarada is the Professor of Faculty of Science and Engineering, Waseda University, Japan where he is the leader of nano-electronics and power-electronics, developing carbon-based material devices including diamond for nano device, bio sensors, microwave and power field effect transistors.

He is now the Director of Green Device laboratory, member of Science Council of Japan and he is also a member of Kagami Memorial Research Institute for Materials Science and Technology and a Visiting Professor at Institute of Materials and Systems for Sustainability, Nagoya university, Japan. He was appointed as a Board Member of Japan Applied Physics Society for the years 2005-2007, the Director of Research Organization for Nano-science & Nano-technology from 2009 to 2010 and he was also chosen as the Chairman for New Diamond Forum 2009 to 2014.

Along with his carrier, he published 9 books, given numerous invited talks, has more than 300 scientific publications and over 30 patents. His articles, proceedings and patents have been cited by about 9,000 (Google Scholar). He won Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology Award in 2016, Fellow of the Applied Physics Society Fellow Award in 2010 and Superconductivity Science and Technology Award in 2007. 　

Dr. Matthias Sabathil is currently the Global Head of Product Development General Lighting in OSRAM Opto Semiconductors (Malaysia) Sdn. Bhd. He has been working in OSRAM for 14 years and 4 months. His journey with OSRAM started in 2004 as a development engineer in OSRAM Regensburg, Germany. After 5 years, he was promoted to become the Senior Manager in Modeling, who was the leader for a team to support projects with multi-physics simulations. In year 2012, Dr. Matthias became the Director for Predevelopment. He was the Head of Advanced Concepts and Engineering Department, heading a department of five groups from epitaxy, chip technology, phosphors to packages and modeling with the mission to create, research and advance novel concepts for future products. Besides, Dr. Matthias was also responsible for new concepts idea creation, scouting and road-mapping. Till then, he continued working in OSRAM Regensburg, Germany for almost 2 years, holding the position of Director for Predevelopment Devices before coming to OSRAM Malaysia in July 2018. As the Head of Predevelopment Devices for automotive, industry and general lighting segments of OSRAM, Dr. Matthias was responsible for the delivery of feasibility and concepts studies to enable performance assessment, promotion of new concepts in multi-stakeholder environment, and special focus on collaboration in multi-national environment. At present, Dr. Matthias is responsible for the product development within the OSRAM segment general lighting.

Dr. Rezal Khairi Ahmad was appointed as the Chief Executive Officer in January 2013 under a secondment from Khazanah Nasional started in June 2012. He is also a Board Member of NanoMalaysia and Nano Commerce Sdn Bhd, Founding Chairman of NanoVerify Sdn Bhd and Founding Director of Nanovation Ventures Sdn Bhd. Currently, he serves as Chairman of Advanced Materials Investment Advisory Panel Working Group under Malaysian Investment Development Authority, Treasurer for Asia Nano Forum and Chairman of Commercialization Working Group under Asia Nano Forum. In September 2017, he was appointed as International Advisor to China Graphene Industry Alliance (CGIA) linking Malaysia’s National Graphene Action Plan 2020 and mutual economic benefits. Formerly attached to College of Engineering, Universiti Tenaga Nasional as an academician from 1998 to 2007, he was also an engineer at Tenaga Nasional ICT in 2003. In 2000, he co-founded Malaysia-Events Sdn Bhd, a start-up for e-commerce platform.

He holds a PhD in Nanotechnology, Electronic/Electrical Engineering from London Centre for Nanotechnology, University College London as the first Khazanah PhD Scholar from 2007 to 2010 with publications in high impact journals. In 2014, he was instrumental in crafting out Malaysia’s National Graphene Action Plan 2020 and co-authored chapters pertaining to innovation and commercialization under the 11th Malaysia Plan. His current endeavors include Internet of Nano-Things and Blockchain applications for high technology management.

Dr. Steven P. DenBaars is a Professor of Materials and Co-Director of the Solid-State Lighting and Energy Electronics Center (SSLEEC) at the University of California Santa Barbara. In 2005 he was appointed the Mitsubishi Chemical Chair in Solid State Lighting and Displays. Specific research interests include growth of wide-bandgap semiconductors (GaN based), and their application to Blue LEDs and lasers and high power electronic devices. Prof. DenBaars has been an active in entrepreneurship, having helped co-found 3 start-up companies in the field of optoelectronics and electronics. He received the IEEE Fellow award in 2005, Aron Kressel Award – IEEE Photonics Society, elected member of the National Academy if Engineers 2012, and National Academy of Inventors in 2014. He has authored or co-authored over 980 technical publications, 350 conference presentations, and over 185
patents.