Nathalie Mezza Garcia

Nathalie Mezza-Garcia is a visionary leader in Special Economic Zones (SEZs), aquatecture, and blockchain governance. With a PhD on SEZs, sustainable aquatecture, and distributed ledgers in indigenous communities, she brings over eight years of experience bridging research, consultancy, and business development. Her work centers on aligning diverse stakeholders, especially local communities, for lasting impact.

She is the COO of the Startup Societies Foundation and former COO of the Catawba Digital Economic Zone. Nathalie is also the founder of Seaphia, a consultancy for SEZs and water-based projects, and Managing Editor of the Journal of Special Jurisdictions. Her work has been featured in Forbes, CNBC, and A