Kate Withers Hess, PhD

Kate is a trained agronomist and data scientist who studied at the University of Guelph and Michigan State University.

She is the co-founder of Functionland, a Web3 project building Blockchain-attached Storage in a consumer grade hardware called FXBLOX; related file and data protocols; and, the $Fula Network, which acts to intencentivize open-source software globally.

Kate is currently an Entrepreneur in Residence (EIR)  at the Innovation Boost Zone at Toronto Metropolitan University, with a focus on the NSERC-funded Lab2Market program, mentoring PhD and Post Doctoral Fellows seeking to further and commercialize their applied research in:  advanced mfg, environmental remediation technology, AgTech, and Machine Learning Tools.

Kate is also a strategic advisor to multiple AI and hardware companies including FutureU, Ai-innovate and Saiwa.