Kylie Gillis and James Carnes, founder of Iconic Air and industrial engineering alumni, have been recognized among the prestigious list of Forbes 30 under 30 winners in the energy sector. During their senior year at WVU, Gillis and Carnes founded Iconic Air, and only two years later the company is one of the fastest growing startups in the energy sector. 

The company is pioneering a new way of emissions monitoring and data reporting — a critical need due to evolving efforts to address climate change. In addition to securing pilot operations in three key oil and gas producing regions for 2021, the company has been awarded a 15-month U.S. Air Force Small Business Innovation Research contract to adapt the technology for U.S. Department of Defense applications. The platform created by the duo will equip the oil and gas industry with an effective way to achieve transparent, continuous, and automated processes for complying with higher standards related to climate change.