Stuffed: Yona Belfort at TEDxDirigo Generate

Yona is a product designer and founder of Vital Innovation. During his 8 years at IDEO's Boston office, he developed experience in packaging, action sports apparel and medical devices. Two recent product launches from teams led by Yona include call2recycle's new battery collection box (in use at RadioShacks nationwide) and Quiksilver's Cypher Massive Boardshorts worn by 11 time world champion Kelly Slater. Yona excels at leading teams, concept generation and bringing ideas to life. He earned a BS in Engineering and Applied Science from the University of Rochester. He graduated from Stanford's Joint Program in Design in June 2003 with an MS in Product Design. Yona co-founded Engine Room, a creative co-working space in Portland's Old Port, in the summer of 2012.

In the spirit of ideas worth spreading, TEDx is a program of local, self-organized events that bring people together to share a TED-like experience. At a TEDx event, TEDTalks video and live speakers combine to spark deep discussion and connection in a small group. These local, self-organized events are branded TEDx, where x = independently organized TED event. The TED Conference provides general guidance for the TEDx program, but individual TEDx events are self-organized.* (*Subject to certain rules and regulations)