About Us

Nokero (short for No Kerosene) was formed in June 2010 to develop safe, affordable and environmentally-friendly technology that eliminates the need for harmful and polluting fuels used around the world.

Nokero is a fully-financed, privately held company with offices in Denver, Colorado and Hong Kong. Nokero’s Denver office, led by American inventor and company founder Steve Katsaros, generates new advances in solar LED design and technology and focuses on business development, marketing, and public relations. The Hong Kong office compliments these efforts with its decades’-long experience in the consumer products trade and handles manufacturing, shipping and logistics

From his earliest days, Stephen Katsaros’ life has been filled with innovation. A mechanical engineer with a penchant for competitive ski racing, Steve began his colorful career with the invention of several commercial products for the ski industry. His first brush with “impact inventing” came in 2002 with RevoPower, a motorized wheel for bicycles. In early 2010, he came up with another bright idea – a simple, portable solar light bulb with the potential to revolutionize life for the 1.4 billion people in the world who live without access to electricity. Five months after his first sketch, Steve launched Nokero, a for-profit company that designs affordable solar technology solutions expressly for poor, off-grid communities around the world. He currently holds the title of Chief Inventor and CEO of Nokero International. Stephen has a BS in Mechanical Engineering (BSME) from Purdue University, is a patent agent registered with the US Patent and Trademark Office, and was a non-degree seeking student at the Bard Center of Entrepreneurship at the University of Colorado from 1998-1999. He received the B.F. Goodrich Collegiate Inventors Award in 1995.

For more on Steve Katsaros see this in-depth interview by Idea Mensch: Steve Katsaros on Idea Mensch.

Evan Husney is the Company's General Counsel and is also responsible for business development, large orders and the Nokero Dealer Network.   Mr. Husney has worked in the legal field, both in large firms and as in-house counsel to growing businesses for 14 years.  Mr. Husney’s legal practice has focused on general corporate matters, including contract preparation, negotiation and review, mergers and acquisitions, equity and debt financings, joint ventures and other strategic transactions, entity formation, corporate governance, and other general corporate matters.  Mr. Husney earned his J.D./M.B.A. from the University of Colorado at Boulder and a Bachelor of Science degree from Emory University.

Beth Polizzotto has over 12 years of experience educating and assisting entrepreneurs through the University of Colorado Denver’s Bard Center for Entrepreneurship where she met Nokero's founder, Steve Katsaros. During her tenure, Ms. Polizzotto managed operations of multi-million budgets, new venture business incubator, research projects, program development and outreach and fundraising activities. She dedicated her energy and creativity towards helping entrepreneurs develop the skills they needed to start a successful business. Ms. Polizzotto is responsible for world-wide sales, is executive assistant to the founder and assists with customer support for Nokero. Beth earned her bachelor’s degree from Colorado State University.

Jen Butte-Dahl has 13-plus years of experience in the government, private, and non-profit sectors, as well as the space in-between. Her worldview is shaped by a diverse professional background - ranging from non-profit business development in rural South Africa to cellular infrastructure sales in the Middle East to international crisis management and foreign policy development in Washington, DC. After six years with the U.S. Department of State, Jen joined Nokero in early 2011 and serves as a liaison to the U.S. Government. In addition, she is focused on building partnerships between Nokero and like-minded individuals and organizations to create last-mile linkages - alliances that will bring innovative technologies to the energy poor communities that need them most. Jen has a BS in International Business Management from Purdue University and an MS in Foreign Policy and International Security from Georgetown. She currently lives in Seattle, WA.

Jimmy Wan graduated from The Hong Kong Polytechnic University in Marketing. He was then awarded the MSc. in Management Science by Salford University in UK. He has over 20 years of business experience in manufacturing, international marketing and corporate management at senior management level positions. Before setting up Nokero International Ltd, he was the General Manager at Diamondback, a key player in the sporting goods industry, and has been running XammaX International Ltd for 20 years.

Terry Wan finished his study in Hong Kong. He has been working with the leading manufacturers and Universities in Hong Kong and China in the last 10 years in the field of Solar Applications, Water Purification, Air Purification and Recycling of Natural Resources. His expertise is in the practical application of new technologies in life improvement and green products.

K C Li received his education in UK and was awarded BSc. (Hon) in Mechanical Engineering by the University of Leeds. He is a co-founder of Nokero International Ltd. He has worked as a product designer and engineer in the fields of electrical appliances, automobile parts and cycling products. His last employment was the Vice President of Product Engineering working for a leading bicycle manufacturer. In this capacityn he was responsible for new products development, manufacturing and quality assurance.

Henry Hsu graduated from Shanghai Jiaotong University with Bachelor Degree in Mechanical Engineering. Before joining Nokero International Ltd., he worked for a world- leading bicycle company for over 13 years with the jobs as R&D Department Manager and Vice General Manager of Sales for the domestic market in China. Henry is currently running the Shenzhen office of XammaX International and has rich experiences and management skills in mechanical engineering, new product development, factory operations and quality assurance systems.

Tom Boyd came to Nokero after a decade-long career in journalism. He covered the 2006 and 2010 Olympic Winter Games, wrote outdoor and travel for the Rocky Mountain News, and was editor of The Vail Trail newspaper. His work has appeared in the Denver Post, 5280 Magazine, Ski, Skiing, and Paddler magazines, among other publications. He has traveled and written from locations around the world including India, Central America, Greece, Australia, Italy, Guatemala, Panama, Thailand, Laos, Cambodia, and elsewhere. He is motivated by the idea of bringing renewable energy to people around the world who need it most, and is there to facilitate the needs of the media as it discovers the stories of human achievement which inspire Nokero.