
The Team
Who We Are


Pavan Ariyawansa
Founder & CEO
Pavan is an early-stage rising entrepreneur with expertise in Biology and Chemistry. He is overachieving sophomore with two peer-reviewed publications and diverse disciplines of research in medical, computational, and materials sciences fields.
336-549-1071
Dr. Hemali Rathnayake
Chief Technology Advisor
Dr. Hemali Rathnayake specializes in synthesizing organic materials and nanostructures. She has over 45 peer-reviewed publications and holds six patents. Her research at UNCG, funded by approximately $2.7 million in grants from NSF, DOD, and USDA, underpins Minerva's R&D, focusing on optoelectronic devices and nanostructure applications.
270-903-3154


Dr. Brian Worfolk
Business and Commercialization Advisor
Brian is a scientist, innovator, and entrepreneur with a Ph.D. in Materials Chemistry from Stanford. He has over 12 years in industry and start-ups. He is educated at Stanford and the University of Alberta and holds 45+ patents and is a leader in energy tech commercialization.
123-456-7890