Issue link: https://iconnect007.uberflip.com/i/1539509
44 PCB007 MAGAZINE I SEPTEMBER 2025 F E AT U R E I N T E RV I E W by M a rcy La Ro nt , I - C o n n e ct 0 07 E nvironmental sustainability in business—prod- uct circularity—is a high priority these days. "Circularity," the term meant to replace "recycling," in its simplest definition, describes a full circle life for electronic products and all their elements. The result is re-use or a near-complete reintroduction of the base materials back into the supply chain, leaving very little left for waste. For what cannot be reused productively, the ulti- mate hope is to have better, less harmful means of disposal and/or materials that can seamlessly and harmlessly decompose and integrate back into the natural environment. That is where Jiva and Soluboard come in. In this interview, Steve Driver, CEO at Jiva Materials, shares the company's his- tory and mission and how he believes they are on the way to being a major disruptor. Marcy LaRont: Soluboard has such huge implica- tions for our industry and, hopefully, for the future of materials used in electronics manufacturing. How did Jiva come to be? Steve Driver: Jack Herring is the inventor and founder of the company. He had an inspiration while studying for his degree in product design in 2017. He came to me with his idea in 2018, and we agreed that it had legs but needed re-engineering and development. I heard from him again a year later, with a smile on his face and a pocketful of money: Jack had successfully secured an invest- ment and an Innovate UK government grant. He then asked me to join Jiva and help develop and commercialize the product. It was perfect timing because I had just sold my PCB company and wasn't ready to hang up my boots. Jiva Leading the Charge Toward Sustainable Innovation