Nivatha Balendra
Dispersa
Chief Executive Officer & Founder
Nivatha Balendra is the CEO & Founder of Dispersa, a CleanTech startup dedicated to providing natural microbe-derived soapy compounds, called biosurfactants, as sustainable alternatives to synthetic surfactants. Nivatha’s environmental research, which she started at the age of 17 as a CEGEP science fair project, is now at the heart of her recently formed startup. Being a cancer survivor, the importance of having sustainable and non-toxic ingredients provided her with a personal mission to make natural ingredients more accessible. Her passion to create an impactful difference in society using innovation is what motivates her to grow Dispersa. Nivatha's work has garnered numerous awards, including the inaugural World Economic Forum Young Scientists Prize, Quebec's Young Entrepreneur for ARISTA 2020, and Corporate Knight's 30 Under 30 list for her involvement in environmental sustainability. She was recently selected as one of Top 6 female Canadian CleanTech founders for Natural Resources Canada & MaRS Discovery District's Women in CleanTech Challenge.
