In a world grappling with the twin crises of environmental collapse and societal disconnection, the story of Dr. Kasia Weina feels not just timely—it feels necessary. A former cancer and stem cell researcher turned sustainability entrepreneur, Dr. Weina exemplifies how scientific brilliance, when paired with purpose, can evolve into planet-centered leadership. Her story reminds us that our calling may not always be where we begin—it may be what we grow into when we start listening more deeply to our values. “I’ve always been an incredibly curious person,” she shares. “As a child, I was constantly asking ‘why’ and ‘how’ about everything around me, especially the natural world. Science wasn’t just a subject I studied—it became my way of making sense of things while addressing real problems,” she said.
Long before she co-founded Evergreen Labs—a social creative business lab incubator focused on social, circular economy venture building—Dr. Weina imagined a future in white coats and research papers. Her academic path began in environmental and marine sciences before taking a sharp turn into molecular biology and cancer research, where she envisioned spending her life transforming patient outcomes in the lab. But as her professional achievements in science grew, so did an internal unease. “There wasn’t a single ‘eureka’ moment—it was more of a slow awakening. While research intellectually challenged me in ways I loved, I increasingly felt disconnected from my core environmental values,” she admits.
This internal dissonance prompted her to question whether her talents and training might better serve the planet in other ways. As she wrapped up her postdoctoral research, she began to piece together the traits she had honed in the lab—analytical thinking, project management, innovation—and saw how they might translate into real-world solutions for environmental impact. “Entrepreneurship was always in my DNA—organizing community projects, starting several small businesses, bringing people together around solutions—I just never labeled it that way,” she reflected.
What began as a quiet questioning soon crystallized into action. She left academia and launched Evergreen Labs, applying her scientific mindset to the fast-paced world of social entrepreneurship. The shift wasn’t easy. “The transition was jarring at first. In the lab, I’d spend months verifying a single result… As an entrepreneur, I suddenly needed to make consequential decisions with limited information—sometimes within hours,” she recalled.
But instead of abandoning her scientific roots, Dr. Weina reframed entrepreneurship as applied science. Hypothesis. Test. Iterate. This experimental mindset proved to be a powerful advantage as she learned to navigate the complexities of business, particularly in the cultural context of Asia. “I found myself simultaneously learning fundamental business concepts while navigating the nuanced hierarchical structures of Asian business culture… Overcoming gender imbalance challenges was another layer—particularly in settings where I needed to establish authority and expertise as a woman entrepreneur in sustainability,” she noted.
Despite the hurdles, her motivation never wavered. The urgency of the climate crisis, the growing waste management issues in Southeast Asia, and the lack of practical sustainability solutions became her fuel. Her sense of purpose—shaped in science but rooted in service—anchored her through the hardest transitions. “What kept me going was seeing the tremendous need for practical sustainability solutions and the tangible impact our work could have. That sense of purpose became my north star,” she emphasized.
As more individuals search for meaning in their careers, especially in the post-pandemic world, Dr. Weina offers grounded advice for those unsure where to begin. “Pay attention to both your energy and your frustration—they’re powerful signals… Purpose isn’t usually something you discover in a flash of insight; it’s something you build iteratively through deliberate experimentation,” she advised.
For Dr. Weina, the move from microscope to mission wasn’t a straight line. It was an act of listening—to her questions, her restlessness, her intuition. And it’s a reminder that the most powerful climate action often begins not only in massive policy shifts, but also in the small, courageous decisions we make to live in alignment with our values. Dr. Kasia Weina’s story calls us to remember: science can fuel change, but it’s purpose that keeps the flame alive.
