INDIANAPOLIS--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Novus Capital, a company focused on sustainability and social equity through technological innovation, announces three new Board Advisors: Trevor Neilson, Rini Greenfield and Phillip Bayt.
“One of the key values Novus brings to our startup partners is the depth and diversity of our Board and Board Advisors’ expertise,” said Bob Laikin, co-founder of Novus Capital. “Trevor, Rini and Phillip are each proven leaders in their respective fields, and we’re proud to have them join us.”
Trevor Neilson is co-founder, Chairman and CEO of WasteFuel, a next-generation fuel company that develops low-carbon biofuels from waste. Previously, he served as co-founder and CEO of i(x) investments, a leading impact-investing platform. Neilson continues to serve as chairman of the firm. Named by the World Economic Forum as a Young Global Leader, Neilson served in the White House during the Clinton administration and served on the Business and Human Rights Resource Centre International Advisory Network. Other posts have included co-founder at the Global Philanthropy Group, executive director of the Global Business Coalition, and director of public affairs at the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.
“I’m thrilled to be joining Novus Capital as part of its ESG strategy,” Neilson said. “There’s tremendous potential in this area, and it’s exciting to be included.”
Rini Greenfield is the founding General Partner of Rethink Food, a social impact fund investing in early-stage food technology companies. She also was a co-founder of Adaptive Management, a Tiger Management LLC fund, where she helped pioneer the use of big data analysis for fundamental long-term investments. With over a decade of experience investing in technology and consumer companies, she has deep relationships with technologists, operators and investors worldwide.
“In just a short time, Novus has made a tremendous impact with its focus on ESG and sustainable practices,” Greenfield said. “It’s an honor to assist in its next phase of impactful investing.”
Phillip Bayt, former Chief Managing Partner for the Indianapolis law firm Ice Miller, practiced in the firm’s Real Estate Group. He brings extensive experience in commercial real estate, gaming, finance, development, joint ventures, real estate funds, real estate taxes, workouts and foreclosures, construction law and leasing. He’s represented both for-profit and non-profit clients in significant commercial transactions.
“I am excited to join the Novus Capital team,” Bayt said. “This is a tremendous opportunity to take part in deeply meaningful work.”
Novus Capital successfully merged its first special purpose acquisition company (SPAC), Novus Capital Corporation I, into AppHarvest (NASDAQ: APPH) on January 29, 2021. AppHarvest is an applied technology company building some of the world’s largest indoor farms in Appalachia. The company combines conventional agricultural techniques with cutting-edge technology and is addressing key issues including improving access for all to nutritious food, farming more sustainably, building a home-grown food supply, and increasing investment in Appalachia.
Bob Laikin, Larry Paulson, Hersch Klaff, Jeff Foster, Ron Sznaider and Heather Goodman of Novus Capital launched a second SPAC, Novus Capital Corporation II, (NYSE: NXU.U) on February 3, 2021. The SPAC raised $287.5 million during its IPO. It will now focus on identifying a potential acquisition in the sustainable smart technology and ESG space.
About Novus Capital
Novus Capital is a company focused on sustainability, ESG and social equity through technological innovation. The company is led by Robert J. Laikin, Larry Paulson and Jeffrey Foster, who have significant hands-on experience helping high-tech companies optimize their existing and new growth initiatives by exploiting insights from rich data assets and intellectual property that already exist within most high-tech companies. Novus Capital recently listed its second special purpose acquisition company (SPAC), Novus Capital Corporation II (NYSE: NXU.U), on February 3, 2021.