John Hansen is a clean energy, climate, and circular economy specialist with nearly two decades’ experience in international business, project and partnership development, strategy, intra/entrepreneurship, and corporate, government and multilateral engagement.

Committed to working across sectors to support the Paris Agreement, Sustainable Development Goals, and environmental equity and justice, he is the Founder and CEO of: The Paradigm Project, which offers sustainable business, clean energy, and circular economy design and consulting, market assessment, strategic planning, partnership, project, and enterprise development services; Paradigm Labs, a division of the Paradigm Project, focusing on the development of innovative clean energy, circular economy, and socio-economic business ventures; and, Paradigm One, a Maryland Benefit Company and Bethesda Green Innovation Lab Accelerator portfolio company addressing single-use waste in the foodservice sector with a closed-loop Circular Economy business model designed to help vendors, companies, and customers minimize waste in our communities, cultural hubs, and the environment. 

Previous roles include: Development Executive, North America for Powerledger, a blockchain- and AI-enabled clean energy software development company; international consultant for the United Nations on climate finance and renewable energy project preparation in developing countries; Senior Energy Consultant for Tesla, a clean energy, battery storage, and electric vehicle company; President of Patriot Solar, the solar division of a regional mortgage lending company; International Business Development for Cenergie/Cygnus Atratus, a fuel cell and waste-to-hydrogen company; and, Global Strategy Advisor for Citizens’ Climate Lobby, advocating for efficient, effective and equitable carbon pricing policy and civil society engagement with governments, the UNFCCC, World Bank, and the private sector.

John holds a gMBA in Sustainable Business with a concentration on Renewable Energy, a BFA from the University of Maryland, and has certifications in Clean Energy and Climate Finance from the Yale Center for Business and the Environment (in session) and the Frankfurt School of Management and Finance, Permaculture, Green Building, Industrial Ecology, and the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI).