James Ellsmoor

I am the Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Island Innovation, which I started after seeing the opportunity to connect rural and island locations around the world working on similar development issues. Island Innovation began with a newsletter and a series of virtual events, and has evolved into a community of over 127,000 members.

In addition to founding Island Innovation I am also the co-founder of Solar Head of State (SHOS), which works with governments to push action on renewable energy. The NGO has focused on small island developing states (SIDS) with solar installations on the Office of the Prime Minister of Jamaica, Government House in Saint Lucia and the Presidential Palace of the Maldives. SHOS is now working with the Organization of Eastern Caribbean States and the Pacific Island Development Forum to install solar on the official residences across these organizations’ combined 24 member states.

I grew up on a farm in Shropshire, England, and after working in the Caribbean, United States and Colombia I have settled in Lisbon, Portugal. My Master’s Degree is in “Island Studies” from the University of the Highlands and Islands.