For this EmpowerGen article, I am proud to highlight the story of Emma Kraft, a 20-year-old Boulder native and Berkeley student, who cheered herself up during covid by innovating a revolutionary, patent-pending sunscreen to regenerate the coral reefs.

In the heart of Boulder, a city renowned for its blend of innovation and natural beauty, we have the incredible opportunity to support a young entrepreneur whose mission is to make a global impact. Emma Kraft, a driven student from UC Berkeley and a Boulder native, is leading the charge in creating Coral, a revolutionary sunscreen designed to be beneficial for the ocean ecosystem. On July 15, at Integrated Work in Boulder, we will gather to champion Emma’s inspiring work and call upon our community to support her dream.

Emma’s journey began when she was just five years old, strolling through the Natural Products Expo in her stroller, inspired by her entrepreneurial mother. Growing up amidst the innovative spirit of Boulder and summers by the ocean in Maine, Emma’s love for both the mountains and the sea has driven her to find solutions to environmental challenges. Her dedication led her to Dream Tank at age 12, where she honed her skills and committed to creating products that make a real difference.

During a visit to Hawaii, Emma discovered the devastating impact of conventional sunscreen on coral reefs. This realization sparked the idea for Coral, a sunscreen that not only protects our skin but also contributes positively to the ocean’s health.  Emma’s innovative approach goes beyond reef-safe to reef-beneficial, ensuring that every swim can help restore our precious marine ecosystems.

Emma’s passion and determination are evident in her numerous accomplishments. Now entering her senior year at UC Berkeley, she has developed Coral with the support of leading scientists, secured a patent-pending formula, and assembled a formidable advisory team. Her current mission is to raise $13,000 for the R&D grant phase to finalize product development and continue her groundbreaking research.

I am honored to be one of the three female social entrepreneurs supporting Emma at this event through my youth-focused work at Dream Tank and Teens and Parents On Track, along with Vicki Nichols Goldstein (Inland Ocean Coalition) and Jennifer Simpson (Integrated Work). We believe in her vision and are committed to helping her succeed. Boulder, known for its strong community spirit and commitment to sustainability, is the perfect place to rally support for Emma’s cause.

Emma’s words resonate deeply: “If one drop of sunscreen can create such a significant problem for the ocean ecosystem and for our skin, then let’s change the formula and make sunscreen part of the solution.” Her innovative mindset and dedication to environmental sustainability are what we need in today’s world, where stress, anxiety, and negativity often overshadow hope and progress.

We invite the Boulder community to join us on July 15 to support Emma Kraft and her pioneering work with Coral. This event is more than just a fundraiser; it’s a call to action to invest in the future, to believe in the power of small wins, and to inspire hope in our youth. Together, we can turn the tide and create a ripple effect of positive change.

To attend this special event, be part of this transformative movement, or to request more information, please request an invitation here. Let’s show our support for Emma and the next generation of innovators who are determined to make the world a better place. Donate to Coral Here.

In hope and solidarity,

Heidi Cuppari

EmpowerGEN Column Editor

See All Past Articles Here: https://aboutboulder.com/category/empowering-youth/

Heidi Cuppari

Heidi Cuppari, a graduate of Brown University, is a pioneering figure in the fields of sustainable financing, impact investing, youth entrepreneurship, and women's leadership. Having moved to Boulder in 2006, she has spent nearly two decades contributing to the growth and development of the impact investing and social entrepreneurship community in the city.

With a personal life as vibrant as her professional one, Heidi is a devoted mother and an integral part of a close-knit family. She started a family legacy art gallery and celebration space called Cuppari Mondo Bello, in collaboration with her children and her father, the acclaimed Italian artist Pasquale Cuppari. This venture was initiated to uplift her father during the challenging times of COVID-19, and it has since morphed into an avenue for social impact through the amplification of consciousness-evoking art.

In her career and volunteer activities, Heidi strives to align global social impact with collective action. As the founder of Island17 and Dream Tank, and as a council member of The Digital Economist, she continually advances her mission of fostering a healed planet and peaceful world. She recently co-created the Playa Puertecito Collaborative, an initiative aimed at building a sustainable community on the Sea of Cortez. Her work emphasizes the power of collective impact and highlights the importance of giving a voice to the younger generation in shaping our shared future.

Heidi's Empowerment Coaching and Mentoring sessions demonstrate her ability to blend traditional life coaching support with loving, innovative, and relationship-based models.

https://www.teensandparentsontrack.com

https://heidicuppari.net