Maricel is the founder and CEO of Compound Foods, a food-tech startup recreating coffee without coffee beans. Maricel is a Costa Rica native with a passion for sustainability and coffee. She has a Bachelor of Commerce from The University of British Columbia and attended Singularity University’s Global Solutions Program in 2017.

Maricel has a background in finance and previously co-founded Nextbiotics, a synthetic biology startup addressing antibiotic resistance. She was featured in the Forbes 30 under 30 Social Impact category and has participated in numerous speaking events, including TedX and SXSW. She has worked in international development in South Africa, and in Cambodia with Helen Keller International to empower women.