Nicole Cacal is a highly regarded leader in the entrepreneurship, digital & business strategy, and innovation fields, with a passion for advancing the Filipino community. She is the Founder and CEO of Forbes Ignite, a consultancy advising global companies on how to innovate at the intersection of technology, sustainability, and social impact (Forbes Ignite is a license partner of Forbes Media, LLC). She has worked with companies like American Express, Salesforce, Accenture, Colgate-Palmolive, and Givaudan. Nicole is also a strategic advisor to small businesses, with a mission to demystify the complexities of digital technology and make cutting-edge strategies accessible to all.Nicole is also the Founder and Executive Director of Katalista.org, a non-profit organization that supports entrepreneurship in the Filipino American community. A dedicated lecturer at the Parsons School of Design and a visiting professor at the Pratt Institute, she teaches courses on financial management, social innovation, and strategic technology to the next generation of diverse leaders. Nicole is also a Virtual Professional-in-Residence at the University of Hawaii’s Pacific Asian Center for Entrepreneurship (PACE), playing a pivotal role in shaping the minds of budding professionals in the field. She also engages in-depth conversations with mission-driven individuals who are redefining success through the Forbes Ignite podcast, “Inner Wealth.”Nicole is also an accomplished keynote and TEDx speaker.Nicole holds a BBA in Finance & International Business from the University of Hawaii, an MSc in Strategic Design & Management from the Parsons School of Design, and an MSc in Technology Management from Columbia University.