skip to main content
Jonathan Cedar
Jonathan Cedar
01:16

Jonathan Cedar

BioLite

New York, NY USA

"Become a technical contributor to an issue you care about, in an environment you can thrive in."

Career Roadmap

Jonathan's work combines: Engineering, Technology, and Upholding a Cause and Belief

See more careers and stories that connect to your interests.

Take Roadmap Quiz

Day In The Life

Founder / CEO

I design energy products that use wood as fuel for cooking and also generate electricity.

Skills & Education

Here's the path I took:

  • High School

  • Bachelor's Degree

    Engineering, General

    Dartmouth College

  • Bachelor's Degree

    Environmental Science

    Dartmouth College

Life & Career Milestones

My path in life has been direct

  • 1.

    He majored in engineering, environmental science, and film.

  • 2.

    While working on an oceanographic research vessel, he picked up a book called The Art of Innovation.

  • 3.

    He got about ten pages into reading about the culture of design when he realized that was what he needed to do to blend his interests.

  • 4.

    BioLite started as a "night and weekend" project with his college buddy; they wanted to solve an international health crisis.

  • 5.

    Four million people die prematurely as a result of prolonged exposure to open fires and carbon monoxide, so they set out to build the solution.

  • 6.

    One of the hardest things for him to get through was accepting critical feedback about his "baby."

  • 7.

    Eventually he realized that it was important to discern the difference between being persistent and being stubborn.

  • 8.

    Says being persistent is key: it means you stick with what you care about, but you're able to accept and employ constructive criticism.