BOLD 10 Under 10 alumni award winner finds passion in recycling glass into better concrete

Through the BOLD (Bearcats of the Last Decade) 10 Under 10 Awards, Binghamton University honors alumni who have graduated within the last 10 years, demonstrated a very high level of career achievement since leaving campus, and show great potential for future leadership.

The Alumni Association will present its 2026 Special Recognition Awards on April 25 at the Holiday Inn Binghamton Downtown.

Two of this year’s winners are alumni of the Thomas J. Watson College of Engineering and Applied Science. We asked them how Watson influenced their lives and career paths.

Jacob Kumpon ’22 is the co-founder and COO of KLAW Industries, a recycling company transforming millions of tons of waste glass each year into next-generation concrete infrastructure. What began as a college idea has grown into a full-scale manufacturing operation on the East Side of Binghamton. Today, KLAW employs a team of 10 — including Binghamton University students — and supplies material for infrastructure projects with the New York State Department of Transportation.

During his time at SUNY Broome Community College in the engineering science program, Kumpon and his cousin developed a deep interest in the recycling industry. Through tours of local recycling facilities, they learned about the vast quantities of glass sent to landfills each year and began connecting this challenge to the concrete industry. With early support from local concrete company Barney & Dickenson, KLAW was born. The Koffman Southern Tier Incubator and the Entrepreneurship and Innovation Partnerships Office at Binghamton University played a foundational role in KLAW’s growth, helping the young founders chart their path in college and transition into full-time operations after graduation.

Today, KLAW is helping lead the recycling industry, built on the engineering foundation, industry insight, and relationships that Kumpon developed as a mechanical engineering major at Watson College.

What is it like receiving an award like this?

It is humbling to receive an award like this, especially after switching into engineering later in my college career. This award is also a recognition of the KLAW team, which is primarily Binghamton University students and graduates who have taken leading roles in KLAW. What we have accomplished throughout New York — solving a massive waste problem we encounter every day — wouldn’t be possible without the talent pool here, which has allowed us to grow our idea into something real.

How do you think your time at Watson set you up for success?

The most valuable thing I learned at Watson was outside of the classroom. It was how to interact with professors and researchers, and how to present myself and my ideas. The two years I spent at Watson were formative for becoming a better public speaker and grant writer, which was a huge factor in our success at KLAW.

Which Watson class or professor changed the way you thought about your area of study?

During my time at Watson, conversations I had with Professors Bruce Murray and James Pitarresi were extremely formative in my engineering career, and to our approach to engineering at KLAW. Additionally, Professor Pitarresi put together a presentation from a friend and colleague of his who worked at Spotify. The presentation she gave through the Smart Energy Scholars program was very inspiring and a big piece of the KLAW story. I would also like to include Professor Robert Lofthouse of SUNY Broome, who was a big help in starting my engineering journey and encouraging me to attend Binghamton.

What are some of your favorite memories from your time at Binghamton?

We had a great group of students who transferred into the Watson Mechanical Engineering Program from SUNY Broome. My favorite memories are studying together in the engineering building on main campus. It was just so cool to be surrounded by people who were also invested in doing well.

What advice would you give to current Watson students?

The best time to take a leap of faith and start something you’ve always wanted to do —whether it be a passion project, company, a nonprofit, or anything else — is when you are in college. During your time at Watson, you have access to a wide variety of people who genuinely care and want to support you. As you start something, this support makes a huge difference. Our company and my career would not be here without many people who opened doors and stuck their necks out for some college kids trying to build something.