SHORT BIO:

Steve Sue is best known as a champion of the Shaka gesture having produced the documentary, “Shaka, A Story of Aloha” and founding Project Shaka, a movement to share aloha through the Shaka. As part of Project Shaka, he wrote the 2024 bill that made the Shaka the Official Gesture of Hawai’i and created the Hawai’i DMV Shaka License Plate. He serves as Chairperson at ID8 (ide•ate), the Hawai’i 501C3 nonprofit that produced the Shaka film and Project Shaka.

Steve is also a social venturer as the owner of O-WOW, Inc., a branding and digital automation firm that specializes in custom software, app and website solutions including publication of itʻs own titles such as SumoSum.com, a free visually-oriented financial forecasting application.

His career includes 25 years as a story expert, conceptualist and social venturer in entertainment, hospitality, food service, retail, product and software. Steve holds a BA in design from UCLA and a JD in law from UC Berkeley.

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Conceptualist: Steve’s education in design and law resulted in a career as a conceptualist and “story guy” of theme parks, live entertainment productions, corporate theater, retail environments, restaurants, product brands and resort casinos.

Software Developer: In his mid-career, Autodesk provided a turning point by licensing his signature hand-drawing style for use within AutoCAD products. While helping create algorithms to mimic drawings by hand, he learned how to develop software. Soon after, he began developing software products.

Social Venturer: In 2009, Steve married his dream girl and settled in Hawai’i. Since then, Steve has created ventures from Hawai’i, including SumoSum.com, a visually-based financial forecasting application. He also has executed local projects including the rebranding of Waikiki Trolley, and the creation of ChefZone for Y. Hata & Company, Punahou School’s GlobalAloha volunteerism app and a food bank app for The Pantry.

Educator: Through ID8 501C3, Steve is known as a pioneer of project-based learning, creativity, innovation and entrepreneurship models having created Lemonade Alley (a culinary entrepreneurship challenge), Project Lemon Tree (a school tree planting program), BizzyB.com (a project-based learning application) and a number of PBL curriculum models for entrepreneurship, app development and search engine optimization (“SEO”) writing. He also founded ID8 Studios (a digital media soundstage operated by ID8 for the State of Hawai‘i) and is the producer/writer of, “Shaka, A Story of Aloha” (a documentary on the origin and meanings of the Shaka gesture).

Boards & Advisory: Steve serves on local boards, advisory groups and mentorships including Feeding Hawai’i Together, Entrepreneurs Foundation of Hawai’i, Aloha Chapter, Scouting BSA (Steve is an Eagle Scout), Blue Startups, Hawai’iloa EcosySTEM Cabinet, A’o Aloha Social Emotional Learning Collaborative, Hawai’i State Workforce Development Council and the James Campbell High School Academy Advisory Board.