Alex Dehgan

Alex Dehgan is the CEO & co-founder of Conservation X Labs, an innovation and technology startup focused on conservation. Under Alex’s leadership, Conservation X Labs has developed new technologies, launched the first set of Grand Challenges for Conservation on aquaculture, water, cooling technology, and fungal pathogens, developed the first mass collaboration & engineering platform for new sustainability solutions, and ran the first conservation technology accelerator. Alex is the Chanler Innovator in Residence at Duke University where he teaches technology innovation for addressing the sustainable development goals.

Alex most recently served as the Chief Scientist at the U.S. Agency for International Development, with rank of Assistant Administrator. Alex founded and headed the Office of Science and Technology, and created the vision for and helped launch the Global Development Lab, the Agency’s DARPA for Development, and was part of the founding team of USAID’s Policy Bureau Prior to USAID, Alex worked in multiple positions within the Office of the Secretary of State, and the Bureau of Near Eastern Affairs, at the Dept. of State, including overseas service under the Coalition Provisional Authority redirecting former weapons scientists to rebuild science in Iraq, and leading the Obama Administration’s scientific engagement with Iran under Ambassador Dennis Ross. Alex was the founding country director of the Wildlife Conservation Society Afghanistan Program and helped create Afghanistan’s first national park. Alex is the author of the recently released book, The Snow Leopard Project, through Public Affairs, an imprint of Perseus Books Group, which describes this effort.