Classrooms As Catalysts: Producing Supply Chain Innovation

Nathan Stempel is the author of “Advanced Supply Chain: Strategic Concepts and Case Studies” and brings a dual background in business and military service.

Nathan began his career at McKinsey & Company, advising Fortune 200 firms and government organizations on operational strategy. He later co-founded Aulera, a venture-backed SaaS firm acquired in 2022. Since then, he led startups through Blue Institute Labs’ BLUE Excelerator and consulted for Hidden River Group on government-entity innovation strategies. Nathan is now Strategic Government Relations and General Manager of Massa Products Corporation, overseeing strategy and operations for a manufacturer of complex underwater acoustic components for commercial and government clients.

A 20+-year U.S. Navy veteran, Nathan has served aboard fast attack submarines, led international missions, and taught at MIT as an NROTC instructor. He currently commands a Navy Reserve unit based in Groton, CT.

Nathan holds engineering and management degrees from MIT, Old Dominion University, Auburn University, and The New School. He lives with his wife and son in East Berne, New York.

Manuela Zoninsein is the CEO and Founder of Kadeya (https://kadeya.com/) , the world’s first closed-loop beverage vending system. Their network of smart bottling stations and reusable bottles eliminates the need for single-use beverage containers forever. Previously, she worked at Palantir Technologies in international business development focused on CPG, introducing the company to five new markets. As a serial climate entrepreneur, she has launched two businesses in the agritech space.