Sustainability-Children’s Toys

Malte Niebelschuetz is the Founder and CEO of Shore Buddies, a sustainable and educational children’s brand with a focus on preventing plastic pollution in the world’s oceans by using recycled bottles as the material to make stuffed animals, while additionally teaching youth about the dangers of inaction. He is also the Founder of the $1 For the Ocean nonprofit organization whose network connects ocean minded businesses who commit financially to support ocean protection projects and nonprofit organizations with a $1 donation for every product or service purchased within the network.

Malte grew up in Germany, and, after getting his graduate degree from a school near Hamburg, he became the Chief Knowledge Officer for Germany’s largest defense contractor in Dusseldorf.  He found himself wanting more from a career and found an opportunity here in San Diego to make an difference in the world by starting these two companies whose missions are grounded in sustainability and education.  Eleven years later he is a green card recipient, and now a proud resident of San Diego, though he considers himself a global citizen.

In his free time he enjoys surfing, soccer, yoga, reading, writing, and cooking. His “real life super power is getting the best out of people.” Malte’s life purpose is to empower kids to improve the world and to disrupt the toy industry. Luckily, he now knows there is more to California than just the “Golden Gate Bridge, LA and David Hasselhoff!”

Malte’s sponsors are Phil Blair, Judy Thompson and Douglas Arbon.