Yamila Franco

Yamila is the co-founder and CFO of Nyoka Design Labs, creators of the world’s first earth-friendly glow stick. As a proud Afro-Indigenous Womxn, Yamila’s work is centered around empowering communities to innovate & co-create alternative solutions to solve Earth’s most-pressing socio-economic and environmental challenges. With an Honours in Biology & a background in business and finances Yamila works on bringing Nyoka’s vision and mission to life through their circular economy design hub. Yamila believes that research, entrepreneurship, community, and identity are interconnected and therefore leverages her skills as a way to empower fellow innovators. Earlier this year Yamila was awarded the Representation, Engagement, Participation Youth Award by HERE in Canada due to her advocacy, and anti-racism work in the community and was a recipient of both the regional and national 2020 Startup Canada Canada Export Challenge.