40 Under 40: Tech entrepreneur David Holomakoff helps grows businesses, and people

Photo / Tim Greenway David Holomakoff, co-founder of Kinotek, cites the “Lord of the Rings” trilogy among his favorite movies.

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David Holomakoff, 30
Co-founder and chief product officer, Kinotek Inc. Find profiles of all the 40 Under 40 honorees here.
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Significant professional accomplishment: By far my most significant accomplishment is being able to work with the Kinotek team through the ups and downs of this wild ride. We are not only growing a business each day, but growing each other as well.

Passion project: Early on, when I started dipping my toe into entrepreneurship, I didn’t have a clear idea of what I wanted to do. I ended up co-founding three different startups with friends and colleagues in my network. One startup, Xylogen Medical, aims to reduce plastic waste generated by the biomedical industry by replacing plastic with nanocellulose composite materials. An amazing goal. I am no longer involved with Xylogen’s day-to-day operations, but getting it off the ground was certainly a passion for me.

Audacious goal: To build and scale multiple startups throughout my life. I view Kinotek as step one in a long journey, and a platform for growing as I mature in my career.

Favorite quote: “It’s a dangerous business, Frodo, going out your door. You step onto the road, and if you don’t keep your feet, there’s no knowing where you might be swept off to.” — J.R.R. Tolkien, “The Lord of the Rings”

Influential book: “The Lean Startup,” by Eric Ries. Interestingly, it is one of the only nonfiction books I have ever read. The reason it was so influential is that it showed me how attainable entrepreneurship and startup companies could be.

Favorite TV shows or movies: Movies: “The Lord of the Rings” trilogy, “The Dark Knight,” “Gladiator,” “Princess Mononoke.” TV shows: “Game of Thrones,” “Lucifer,” “Death Note,” “Dragon Ball Z”

How do you recharge: Working out at my home gym, hiking when possible, watching sports. I am a big fan of mixed martial arts, football and basketball. I’ve gotten into playing disk golf and regular golf. I used to play video games on a computer that I built, but I have found myself short on free time for that.