I’m Elizabeth Redmond- your designtrepreneur. Back in 2006 during my BFA design thesis work at the University of Michigan, I set out to design interfaces that generate electricity from the human body. Now, years later, I’m working around the clock to turn the alternative energy paradigm on its head through my brainchild I call POWERleap -- a flooring system destined for high foot- traffic urban areas that generates electricity via human footfall and vehicular traffic. Think 5th Avenue powered by the stampede of shoppers! The POWERleap concept is meant to engage the community, you, to take responsibility and generate some of the electricity we enjoy everyday. This interaction between our exerted energy and the electrical energy we create/consume is where my designer mind comes into practice- my job is to make it functional, mysterious, fun, interactive, educational, sexy, and satisfying; and also, to make it work! On a larger scale, my vision is to sustain urban public electrical consumption via human energy.

I am determined to create the day when we produce our own electricity by walking to work, running in the park, walking through the airport terminal, and simply playing on the streets together.

I’m 25 years old, but maybe not your ordinary 25 year old.  This I attribute to my large family (I’m the youngest of four) of socially and environmentally conscious mentors.  They are my foundation.  They inspire me to think big and keep my head on straight. After graduation I worked for my sister on her Discovery Health series she hosts "Get Fresh with Sara Snow". I helped her develop content while we packed our suitcases and travelled across the country to feature do-ers actively living for and serving the planet.

Today, as I traverse the road of a young social entrepreneur, I am led to new friends and collaborators nearly every day doing amazing work to improve lives globally, enable environmental change, and educate hungry minds. While dividing my time between POWERleap, a start-up sustainable material consultancy Ecolect, and various sustainability and design related consulting projects; the breadth of my work is dedicated to making healthy, green decisions easy, obvious, and of course, enjoyable for consumers.  Join me in 2010 while I partner up, collaborate, and activate.

After receiving runner-up status in the 2007 Metropolis Magazine Next Generation Design Competition, and a generous grand from Mohawk Group, POWERleap began gaining significant traction in the press and global customer demand. Today, POWERleap is growing by the day. I have two part-time partners and a number of brilliant interns.

As we work rigorously towards filanizing designs and manufacturing plans for our commercialized product, we are planning our first set of commercial pilot installations that we plan to have in the ground come early 2010. Follow me as I meet with the office executives, the movers and the shakers, and the next generation designers about POWERleap. Support me as I t troubleshoot circuitry problems the day before a television press gig, and field waves of emails from all corners of the industry. I’ve dished up a lot onto my plate, yet somehow I manage to enjoy and learn from (the majority of) it. Stay tuned for updates!